Division 08 · Textiles & apparel
India's textile clusters, bought the way a merchandiser buys them.
Bed linen from Panipat, terry towels from Solapur and Karur, woven shirting from Surat and Ahmedabad, knitted jersey from Tiruppur, hosiery and sweaters from Ludhiana, denim from Ahmedabad. We buy from established mills and export houses in each of those clusters against a written technical pack — count, construction, GSM, shrinkage, colour fastness — rather than a swatch and a promise.
Home textiles · fabrics · garments · knitwear · workwear
Categories
Tiruppur · Karur · Panipat · Surat · Ludhiana · Ahmedabad
Clusters
OEM, private label, buyer's design or ours
Order model
20' / 40' HC · FOB, CFR, CIF
Loading
Overview
A merchant textile desk, not a mill
We do not weave, knit or stitch. We source from mills, processing houses and garment units that already hold the certifications and the machinery your programme needs, and we take responsibility for the specification, the inspection and the paperwork in between.
Indian textiles are cluster-specific, and buying the wrong cluster is the most common mistake importers make. Panipat and Sonipat do home textiles — bed linen, throws, rugs, made-ups. Karur and Erode do kitchen and table linen. Solapur and Panipat do terry towelling. Tiruppur does cotton knitwear at scale. Ludhiana does winter knitwear, hosiery and socks. Surat does synthetics and printed dress material. Ahmedabad does denim and processed cottons. Jaipur and Jodhpur do hand-block and screen prints. We buy each category where it is genuinely made rather than through a single supplier who claims all of it.
Every programme starts with a technical pack. For fabrics that means yarn count, warp and weft density, weave, width, GSM, finish and shade; for made-ups it means cut size after wash, hem construction, stitch density and packing; for garments it means a graded size set, fit approval, trim card, wash standard and care labelling. Numbers with tolerances, not adjectives.
Testing is booked before production, not after a claim. We arrange dimensional stability to ISO 6330 and AATCC 135, colour fastness to washing, water, rubbing, perspiration and light, tensile and tear strength, pilling, GSM verification, pH, and azo-free, formaldehyde and phthalate screening through SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek or TUV as your buyer's protocol requires.
Compliance and certification are quoted as line items. GOTS and OCS for organic cotton, BCI for Better Cotton programmes, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 for finished articles, GRS for recycled polyester, and social-audit coverage — SEDEX/SMETA, BSCI, WRAP, Higg FEM — at the units we place your order with. We name the mill and the audit status on the offer.
Private label is the standard mode. Woven and printed labels, care and content labels to your market's legal requirements, hang tags, size stickers, polybags with the required suffocation warning, printed retail cartons, barcodes, and marketplace labelling such as FNSKU for buyers selling online.
At a glance
- Product families
- Bed, bath, kitchen and table linen; woven and knitted fabrics; shirts, trousers, dresses and kidswear; t-shirts, polos, fleece and hosiery; workwear, hi-vis, scrubs and school uniforms
- Minimum order
- 500–1,000 pcs per style per colour for garments and knitwear; 1,000–3,000 pcs per SKU for made-ups; 3,000–5,000 m per shade for fabrics
- Certification
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100, GOTS, OCS, BCI, GRS; SEDEX/SMETA, BSCI or WRAP social audits
- Lead time
- 45–60 days for stock-fabric programmes; 75–100 days for yarn-dyed or organic
- Inspection
- Fabric 4-point inspection, in-line at 20% and 60%, AQL 2.5 final random inspection
- Payment
- 30% advance with balance against documents, or irrevocable LC at sight
How we work
We source from India's established brands — we do not manufacture
Akarta Exports is a sourcing and export house. We do not own factories and we do not claim to. Our value is that we know which well-known Indian brands and manufacturers make what, to what standard, and at what price — and we buy from them to the exact specification you give us.
01 — Your specification, written down
We start from your specification, not from a catalogue. Grade, dimension, tolerance, finish, test standard, pack, artwork and labelling are put in writing and confirmed with you before a single enquiry goes out.
02 — Matched to the right Indian brand
We place that specification with established, well-known Indian brands and manufacturers in the cluster that genuinely makes the product — Morbi for tiles, Rajkot and Ludhiana for machinery, Meerut and Jalandhar for sports goods, Kerala and Gujarat for spices.
03 — Offers compared on merit
Because we own no plant and owe no factory a minimum offtake, we compare offers openly on quality, consistency, capacity and price — and tell you where a lower price will not hold up in your market.
04 — Inspected, consolidated, shipped
Our own inspectors clear the goods at the brand's plant and again before loading. Multiple brands and multiple divisions consolidate into one container, one invoice and one document set.
Brand names are disclosed to you on the offer and named on the inspection report, so you always know whose production you are buying. Where a buyer already has a preferred Indian brand, we are happy to source that brand and handle only the inspection, consolidation, documentation and shipping.
The range
Five buying desks under one export programme
Each desk has its own page with the full item list, construction data and testing notes. This is the summary view.
- Home textiles & made-ups
- Bed sheet sets and fitted sheets in 200–1,000 TC, duvet covers, quilts, comforters, mattress protectors, pillow and cushion covers, terry bath towels and sets in 380–650 GSM, bathrobes, bath mats, kitchen and tea towels, aprons, oven mitts, table linen, throws, blankets and cotton rugs. See the home textiles page.
- Fabrics & yarn
- Greige and finished cotton, poplin, twill, drill, canvas, oxford, chambray, voile, flannel, corduroy, denim in 6–14 oz, poly-cotton and viscose blends, rayon, linen and linen blends, knitted single jersey, interlock, pique, rib and fleece, plus 100% cotton combed and carded yarn in Ne 16–60. See the fabrics page.
- Readymade garments
- Men's and women's woven shirts and blouses, trousers, chinos, shorts, denim jeans and jackets, dresses, skirts, kurtis, ethnic wear, nightwear and loungewear, kidswear and infant sets, plus complete school-uniform programmes with graded size sets. See the garments page.
- Knitwear & hosiery
- Single-jersey and combed t-shirts in 140–220 GSM, polo shirts in pique and interlock, hoodies and sweatshirts in 280–380 GSM fleece, joggers, leggings, activewear, thermals, sweaters and cardigans, socks, innerwear and baby knitted sets from Tiruppur and Ludhiana. See the knitwear page.
- Workwear & uniforms
- Industrial coveralls and boiler suits, two-piece work suits, cargo trousers, hi-vis vests, jackets and rainwear to EN ISO 20471, flame-retardant and anti-static ranges, medical scrubs and lab coats, hospitality and chef wear, security and corporate uniforms, plus caps, aprons and accessories. See the workwear page.
Technical data
Order economics and container planning by category
Indicative figures used at the quotation stage. Exact cartons, cube and loading are confirmed on the packing list before dispatch.
Swipe table to see all columns →
| Category | Typical MOQ | Carton pack | Units per 40' HC | Production lead time | Branding options |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bed linen sets | 1,500–3,000 sets | 10–20 sets per carton | 9,000–14,000 sets | 55–75 days | Printed retail box, woven label |
| Terry towels | 2,000–5,000 pcs | 20–50 pcs per carton | 25,000–40,000 pcs | 50–70 days | Dobby border, jacquard logo, tag |
| Woven shirts | 600–1,000 pcs per colour | 20–30 pcs per carton | 18,000–24,000 pcs | 70–90 days | Woven label, embroidery, hang tag |
| Knitted t-shirts | 500–1,000 pcs per colour | 40–60 pcs per carton | 35,000–50,000 pcs | 50–70 days | Screen, DTG, embroidery, heat seal |
| Fleece hoodies | 500 pcs per colour | 20–25 pcs per carton | 12,000–16,000 pcs | 60–80 days | Puff print, appliqué, metal trims |
| Fabric rolls | 3,000–5,000 m per shade | Roll-wise, 50–100 m | 18,000–25,000 m | 40–55 days | Selvedge print, roll ticketing |
| Coveralls & workwear | 500–1,000 pcs | 10–20 pcs per carton | 8,000–12,000 pcs | 65–85 days | Reflective tape, logo, name badge |
| School uniforms | 1,000 sets | Size-wise master carton | Mixed load | 70–90 days | Crest embroidery, house colours |
Textiles load to volume rather than weight, so compressed vacuum packing on quilts, comforters and fleece can lift pieces per container materially — we quote both packed and compressed options where your warehouse can handle recovery time.
Applications & markets
Buyer types we supply
The same cluster serves very different buyers and the specification changes completely between them. Tell us which one you are and the quotation follows.
Retail chains & department stores
- Season-planned ranges against your buying calendar
- Graded size sets with fit approval before bulk
- Retail-ready packing, barcodes and price tickets
- Third-party testing to your own buying protocol
- Social-audited units with current SMETA or BSCI
- Repeat production against a signed golden sample
Importers & wholesalers
- Mixed containers across made-ups and apparel
- Fast-moving basics with predictable pricing bands
- Volume-tiered pricing per SKU quantity
- Consolidation from several mills into one loading
- Rolling forecast replenishment programmes
- Stock-lot and surplus buying where available
Institutions, hospitals & hotels
- Hospitality bed and bath linen in commercial GSM
- Industrial-laundry-rated construction and hems
- Medical scrubs, lab coats and patient linen
- School and corporate uniform programmes
- Tender documentation and compliance sheets
- Long-life specification chosen for shared use
Brands & e-commerce sellers
- Low-MOQ launch runs before scaling a style
- Full private label from trims to carton artwork
- FNSKU, UPC and EAN labelling applied at factory
- Polybag and parcel-safe retail packaging
- Organic, recycled and BCI cotton programmes
- Photography-ready pre-production samples
Division in numbers
5
Buying desks
Made-ups to workwear, one programme
6+
Sourcing clusters
Tiruppur, Karur, Panipat, Surat, Ludhiana, Ahmedabad
AQL 2.5
Final random inspection
On every style, every shipment
45–100
Days to load
Stock fabric to yarn-dyed and organic
Quality assurance
Nothing leaves India until our own inspectors clear it
Akarta runs an in-house quality department with inspectors assigned to each division. Goods are checked at the factory during production and again before loading, against the written specification agreed on your purchase order — not against the factory's own grading.
- Pre-production sample approved by the buyer before bulk manufacture begins
- In-line checks during production for shade, calibration, dimension and moisture
- Pre-shipment inspection with photographic report before container sealing
- Third-party inspection (SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek) arranged where required
ISO 9001:2015
Certified quality management system
Govt. approved
Registered Indian merchant exporter
In-house docs
Export paperwork prepared by our team
Packing & shipping
Packed the way your market receives it
Textiles arrive judged on presentation as much as construction. Creasing, shade variation between cartons and monsoon moisture are the three things that turn a good order into a claim, so packing is written into the specification.
- Individual polybags with suffocation warning, size sticker and barcode as required by your market
- Retail boxes, PVC zip bags or belly bands printed to your artwork for made-ups
- Assorted or solid packing by size and colour, marked carton-wise on the packing list
- Five-ply export cartons with strapping, corner protection and shade-lot marking
- Silica gel and moisture-barrier liners for monsoon and long-transit shipments
- Vacuum-compressed packing for quilts, comforters and fleece where quoted
- Hanging-garment cartons or GOH loading for tailored and formal ranges
- Shipping marks, carton-wise packing list and loading plan issued before dispatch
Documentation
Paperwork prepared in-house, not outsourced
Every consignment travels with a complete document set, prepared by our own documentation team and checked against your letter of credit or contract terms before dispatch.
Technical pack
Count, construction, GSM, cut size, tolerance, trim card and graded measurement chart agreed per style before cutting begins.
Test & certification file
Third-party reports for shrinkage, colour fastness, GSM, pH, tensile and azo-free screening, plus OEKO-TEX, GOTS, OCS or GRS transaction certificates where the claim is being made.
Inspection report
Fabric 4-point report, in-line reports at 20% and 60%, and AQL 2.5 final random inspection with measurements and photographed defect classification.
Shipping set
Commercial invoice, packing list with carton dimensions and cube, certificate of origin, bill of lading, and insurance certificate where CIF.
Global reach
Quoted in your currency, shipped from your nearest Indian port
Enquiries reach us from importers, distributors, contractors and retail chains across five continents — Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific. We quote FOB, CFR or CIF, load from Mundra, Kandla, Nhava Sheva or Pipavav depending on your routing, and keep one commercial contact accountable for the consignment from purchase order to bill of lading.
Africa
Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Sudan, Mozambique, Zambia, South Africa
Middle East
UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq
Europe
Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, United Kingdom
Americas
United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile
Asia-Pacific
Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan
Load ports
Mundra · Kandla · Pipavav · Nhava Sheva
Incoterms
FOB · CFR · CIF · EXW on request
Correspondence
English, with documentation to buyer-country requirements
Buyer questions
What importers usually ask us first
Do you manufacture textiles yourselves?
No. We are a merchant export house. We buy from established mills, processing houses and garment units in each cluster and we name the source and its audit status on the offer. What we own is the specification, the inspection, the consolidation and the documentation — which is where most textile orders actually go wrong.
Can we combine home textiles and apparel in one container?
Yes, and it is one of the main reasons buyers use us. We consolidate from multiple units into one loading with a single packing list and a single set of export documents. Both categories load to volume rather than weight, so a mixed container is usually straightforward to plan.
How do you control shrinkage and shade variation?
Shrinkage is controlled at the fabric stage: we test dimensional stability to ISO 6330 or AATCC 135 on the approved lot and build the measured residual shrinkage into the pattern before cutting. Shade is controlled by approving a lab dip against your reference, restricting production to a single dye lot per shipment where possible, and marking cartons shade-lot-wise so your warehouse never mixes lots on a shelf.
Can you supply certified organic or recycled cotton?
Yes, through GOTS and OCS certified units for organic cotton and GRS certified units for recycled polyester and cotton blends, with transaction certificates issued against your shipment. Certified programmes carry a real premium and longer lead times because the yarn has to be reserved, so we quote them separately from conventional equivalents.
What sampling do you provide before bulk?
Typically a proto sample for construction, a fit sample on the base size, a lab dip for each shade, a size-set sample across the graded range, and finally a pre-production sample that becomes the signed golden sample. Bulk cutting only starts after that sample is approved in writing.
Which ports do you ship from?
Mundra and Nhava Sheva for most textile shipments, with Chennai and Tuticorin for Tiruppur-origin knitwear and Kandla and Pipavav available. Inland units move to port on covered trailers. We quote FOB, CFR and CIF and can work with your nominated freight forwarder.
Common enquiries
Specifications buyers most often ask us to quote
These are the enquiries that reach this desk most weeks. If yours is on the list, we already have the grades, packing and loadability worked out — send the quantity and destination port and we will price it.
Also in this division
Related ranges
Export desk
Request a quotation
Send your product type, grade, quantity and destination port. Our export desk replies with available grades, packing options, loadability and indicative pricing — usually within one working day.