Reliance Textiles: What Happened to India’s Textile Industry and Who’s Still Standing?

When you think of Reliance Textiles, a major player in India’s textile manufacturing sector that once dominated domestic and export markets. It was part of a much bigger story — the rise and fall of India’s Indian textile industry, a centuries-old backbone of the economy, employing millions and exporting globally. But between policy shifts, global competition, and tech gaps, the sector didn’t just slow down — it collapsed. And while Reliance Textiles pulled back, others kept pushing forward, adapting, surviving.

The textile collapse India, a sharp decline in production, exports, and employment across small and medium mills wasn’t caused by one thing. It was a mix: cheap imports from China and Bangladesh, outdated machinery, lack of automation, and rising labor costs. Meanwhile, governments abroad gave their textile makers subsidies, tax breaks, and energy discounts — India didn’t match that. Even textile manufacturing India, a sector that once produced half the world’s cotton yarn lost ground because it didn’t modernize fast enough. Factories that once ran 24/7 now sit half-empty. Workers moved to construction or e-commerce delivery jobs. And the brands that relied on Indian mills? They switched suppliers.

But here’s the thing — collapse doesn’t mean extinction. Some players, especially smaller ones focused on niche fabrics, organic cotton, or handloom exports, are making a comeback. They’re using digital tools, direct-to-consumer sales, and government schemes meant to revive the sector. The same textile exports India, a category that still hits $15 billion annually despite the losses is growing again — just differently. It’s no longer about volume. It’s about quality, storytelling, and speed to market.

What you’ll find below are real stories from inside this broken-and-rebuilding system. You’ll see how small factories are surviving with one machine and one good idea. You’ll learn why some textile businesses still make money while others vanished. And you’ll get a clear picture of what went wrong — and what still works — in India’s textile world. No theory. No fluff. Just what’s happening on the ground.