Made in Telangana T-shirts Enter Global Market

HYDERABAD: Telangana’s textile sector is now making its global mark with “Made in Telangana” T-shirts being exported to international markets. South Korean multinational Youngone Corporation has begun its first phase of production at the Kakatiya Mega Textile Park near Warangal, with 100 per cent of its products meant for export.

The facility operates under the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and currently manufactures T-shirts for men, women and children. These garments are mainly supplied to countries with cold climates. The company plans to expand production to include yoga pants, jackets, sweaters and sportswear in the coming months.

Youngone has invested USD 25 million (₹209 crore) in the first phase and will scale up to USD 120 million (₹1,005 crore) by 2029, building eight units in total. The first production block is now operational, exporting 10,000–15,000 T-shirts every month worth about ₹1 crore. Around 200 employees are currently working at the site, which is expected to provide employment to 11,700 people once all projects are complete.

The industrial park, spread across 1,357 acres in Sangem mandal, has allocated 297 acres to Youngone. The project is seen as a model investment in India’s textile manufacturing sector, combining employment generation, exports and economic stability.

Focus on rural employment

Nearly 90 per cent of the workforce at the Youngone plant are women from nearby villages. The company provides them training in tailoring, embroidery and quality control before recruitment. Workers are paid salaries starting at ₹15,000, going up to ₹50,000 depending on skill levels.

To ensure safety and convenience, the company operates buses from surrounding villages to transport employees to and from the factory. Working hours are set between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The company plans to expand further, adding three more buildings within the next three months.

‘Our products are known for quality’

“Our garments are globally recognised for quality,” said Srikant S Bhamidipati, Director and Head (India Operations) at Youngone. “We source some cotton locally, though quality fibre is limited. We have requested the state government to promote high-quality cotton cultivation,” he added.

The garments made at the Warangal plant carry the ‘Made in Telangana, India’ stamp. Exports are currently routed through Chennai, but as output grows, the company has sought a dry port within the Kakatiya Mega Textile Park to ease logistics — a proposal the government has responded to positively.