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`Repeat Orders Reward Discipline, Not Drama’

• By  Senthil Rajan, Founder & Director, Thunder Industries, Tiruppur, India
• February 01, 2026

Volume programs are returning to trusted constructions. Core cotton counts, cotton-poly and cotton-modal blends, and proven knits dominate repeat bookings. Buyers are cautious - incremental improvements, not disruptive innovation, win bulk orders. Experimental or textured fibres remain largely design-led, rarely scaling to production.

Price pressure is brutal on basics - T-shirts, commodity knits, fleece, and entry-level activewear. Premium persists only for performance fabrics, certified sustainable programs, workwear, and value-added constructions, where reliability and compliance outweigh lowest cost.

Sustainability is now table stakes. 40–60% of programs require certified fibres, and traceability is increasingly non-negotiable. Buyers will pay modest premiums only when claims are backed by clear documentation and supply continuity. Over-engineered fabrics with marginal benefit are losing favour - simple, consistent, high-performing fabrics rule.

Supply-chain strategy is evolving. Core suppliers are consolidated for reliability, with selective secondary mills retained to hedge geopolitical and capacity risks. Country exposure is diversifying across India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh, with resilience increasingly prioritised over lowest cost. Near-shoring is a complement, not a replacement.

Compliance and execution remain critical. Common gaps - electrical safety, chemical management, documentation, and worker training - disqualify mills regardless of technical capability. Digital product development accelerates approvals, but physical validation still decides final selection.

Mills that succeed will focus on process consistency, compliance discipline, energy efficiency, and technical merchandising expertise. Products with no repeat demand, unstable quality, or price-only competitiveness must be dropped immediately.

The message is clear: reliability in quality, delivery, and communication is now the ultimate currency. Mills that understand this survive, those that don’t, don’t.

Sustainability is now table stakes. 40–60% of programs require certified fibres, and traceability is increasingly non-negotiable. Buyers will pay modest premiums only when claims are backed by clear documentation and supply continuity. Over-engineered fabrics with marginal benefit are losing favour - simple, consistent, high-performing fabrics rule.