Textile Manufacturing Process | A 5-Step Simple Guide
The textile manufacturing industry is a major part of the economy in many countries and employs millions of people.
However, it has gone through multiple transformations, from natural to synthetic fibres, from looms to mega factories, and from local production to global supply chains. But it has only made the textile manufacturing process easier.
As a result, it is opening opportunities to welcome new textile manufacturers with innovative and sustainable ideas.
So, knowing how to start textile business at this time will be a plus point for a textile manufacturer.
5 Step Textile Manufacturing Process
- Harvesting
- Spinning
- Weaving
- Dyeing & Printing
- Garments Manufacturing
Textile manufacturing is a complex process, and each step requires specific tools and skills.
Step 1 — Harvesting
The most harvested raw materials in India for textile manufacturing are:
- Cotton
Harvested in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and parts of Andhra Pradesh & Karnataka.
- Jute
Harvested in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Andhra Pradesh.
- Silk
Harvested in Southern states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and (Vanya silk) such as Tussar is grown in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal.
- Wool
Harvested in Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana.
- Man Made Fibre
They are basically made in laboratories and could be established anywhere. However, most of them are located in either Delhi or the NCR Region.
Why is it important to know the location of harvesting?
If you are planning to start your textile manufacturing unit, it is better to outsource the raw material instead of harvesting it yourself.
Also, after choosing the textile product, establish your factory near the source of raw materials.
As a result, it will help you with reducing your transportation costs.
Step 2 — Spinning
The textile manufacturing process basically starts with spinning the raw material, which can be natural, such as cotton or wool, or synthetic, like polyester.
There are many different types of spinning processes that have been developed over the years, but they all have the same goal — to turn fibres into yarn.
Here is a list of different types of spinning processes:
For Natural Fibres
- Conventional method
- Modern method
- Mule spinner
- Rotor spinning
- Flyer –spinning machine
- Air jet spinning
- Cap–spinning machine
- Air vortex spinning
- Centrifugal–spinning machine
- Friction spinning
- Pot–spinning machine
- Warp spinning
- Ring spinning
- Self-twist spinning
For Man-Made Fibres
- Melt Spinning (For Synthetics)
- Wet Spinning
- Dry Spinning
The average price of a spinning machine in India is Rs. 1.5 Lacs. However, that depends on the size, brand and capacity of the machine.
Step 3 — Weaving
The weaving process is a continuous technique that requires effective coordination between all the people involved.
The weavers are responsible for preparing the loom with the warp threads and then using it to weave together the weft threads into fabric.
There are three different types of weaves: plain weave, twill weave and satin weave.
The weaving process can be broken down into three parts:-
- Warping
- Weaving
- Finishing
Warping prepares the loom for production by placing threads across it to create a pattern or design that will then be woven into the fabric.
Weaving uses these threads to create the desired pattern or design on the loom while finishing touches up any loose ends or mistakes that may have occurred during production.
The average price of a weaving machine in India is Rs.4 Lacs — Rs.5 Lacs. Again, that depends on the type, size and production quantity of the machine.
Step 4 — Dyeing & Printing
Dyeing and printing are two different processes for fabric, but they are often used together as one process to create a patterned fabric.
- Dyeing
Dyeing is the process of applying an artificial, permanent colour to natural or synthetic fibre.
The colourant goes into the fibre and reacts with the components of the fibre — cellulose, lignin, and other proteins.
Dyes are usually permanent because they bind chemically to molecules on one side of fibre and leave other parts exposed on their surface.
The process can be done by hand or with the help of machines, but it is still a time-consuming process.
The average price of a weaving machine in India is Rs. 3 Lacs.
- Printing
The printing process can be categorized into two main types: printing with a printer and printing with a roller.
The most common type of printing is the screen-printing process. The ink is applied to a mesh that has been stretched across a frame, called a screen, and then the ink is transferred to the fabric or other substrate by pressing it against the screen.
The second type of printing process is called roller-printing. Roller-printing uses water as its primary ingredient for transferring colour onto fabric or paper.
The average price of a weaving machine in India is Rs. 1.5 Lacs.
Step 5 — Garments Manufacturing
Garments manufacturing is the process of converting these fabrics into garments using the following steps: cutting, assembling, sewing and finishing.
It is a major industry worldwide and produces a wide range of products including cloth, clothing, carpeting, upholstery, and other items.
The raw materials for garment manufacturing are usually cloth and yarn.
The equipment used for the process includes sewing machines, cutting machines, ironing machines, pressing machines etc.
The main steps of Garment Manufacturing in Textile Manufacturing are:
- Cutting and Sewing: The fabric is cut to size according to the pattern and then sewn together by a sewing machine to form a garment;
- Ironing: The garment is ironed to remove any creases or wrinkles;
- Packing: After ironing, the garment is packed into an appropriate carton or case for shipping.
Cost of Textile Manufacturing
The cost of textile manufacturing varies greatly depending on the type of fabric and the process used.
It means that the more a factory produces, the lower its costs will be.
The cost of textile manufacturing can be broken down into four parts:
- Raw materials (account for about 40–50% of total cost)
- Labour costs (account for about 30–35%)
- Machinery and Equipment (account for around 15–20%)
- Overhead Costs (5–10%. of the total cost)
