Surat, a textile hub, has switched from designers clothes to ‘designer’ masks

A day at a garment factory sees tailors stitch up protective gear like bodysuits and masks, and produce about 500 PPE kits daily.

There are 30 men to stitch the cloth | Photo: Soniya Agarwal | ThePrint

Surat: Looms across Surat are grinding back to life as the textile industry resumes work during the lockdown.

The industry, which generates approximately Rs 80,000 crore, is the second-largest income generator in Surat.

It’s not business as usual given the restrictions, and the constant shadow of rising infections in the state and country.

Gujarat currently has the second highest number of cases and Covid-19 deaths in India, after Maharashtra.

Many individual manufacturers have adapted to the change in demand, and switched to making products that are the need of the hour. One such unit is Suneja Fashion Fabrics and Lifestyles, owned by Mukesh Suneja.

What was previously a garment design and stitching unit has now transformed into a personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturing unit. Here, the raw cloth for making PPE overalls is procured from the manufacturers and then, using machines, cut into the shape of a human body.

ThePrint’s reporters Soniya Agrawal and Swagata Yadavar bring you some pictures from the factory, which produces 500 PPE kits every day for those on the frontline of the battle against Covid-19.

The process works in parts, with some cutting out the pieces while others stitch them together. The garment is then inspected by another team | Soniya Agarwal | ThePrint

Two tailors stitch the seams of the bodysuit before it is passed on to another pair of hands that adds the elastic, zips and the hood | Soniya Agarwal | ThePrint

Yogita Patel, a 35-year-old from the nearby district of Mehsana, spends eight hours a day threading. Working at the factory has helped her feed her family of four during the pandemic | Soniya Agarwal | ThePrint

Another team meticulously scans the garment for any loose threads or knots that they can trim. Any spots on the cloth are also cleaned and sanitised | Soniya Agarwal | ThePrint

The final result of the PPE bodysuit | Soniya Agarwal | ThePrint

The labourers work for 13 hours a day, during which they also produce 250 masks | Soniya Agarwal | ThePrint

The company uses colourful fabric to create its own line of ‘designer’ masks | Soniya Agarwal | ThePrint