How to Start a Garment Export Business in India: Registrations, Buyers and Production
Garment exports reward speed, compliance and consistency. Here is what you need to start — registrations, AEPC membership, buyer compliance audits, sampling, production control and RoSCTL — and where new garment exporters most often lose money.
Kartik KukadiyaCEO, Easywork Solutions Private Limited
Quick facts
- Garment exporters need an IEC, GST registration and an AD code; AEPC is the export promotion council for apparel.
- Apparel under HS chapters 61 and 62 is covered by RoSCTL rather than RoDTEP.
- Most international brands require social and quality compliance audits of the factory before placing orders.
- Sampling and tech-pack accuracy decide whether the first bulk order succeeds.
- Delivery dates are strict; late shipments lead to discounts, air freight or cancellations.
- Garment hubs include Tiruppur, Ludhiana, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Jaipur, each with different specialisations.
To start a garment export business in India, get an IEC, GST registration and AD code, join AEPC (the Apparel Export Promotion Council) for an RCMC, decide whether you will manufacture or source through job-work units, and prepare for buyer compliance audits. Win buyers through samples that exactly match their tech packs, control production stage by stage to hit delivery dates, and claim RoSCTL on every shipment.
This guide covers setup, buyers, production and money. ExportCRM wrote it for new garment exporters and merchandisers.
Registrations and setup
- IEC from DGFT and GST registration (with LUT for exports without IGST).
- AD code registered at your ports with your bank.
- AEPC membership and RCMC — needed for incentives and useful for buyer meets and fairs.
- Factory licences and labour compliance if you manufacture (or verified job-work partners if you don't).
- Testing partner relationships for fabric and product tests buyers will ask for.
Getting your first buyers
- AEPC buyer-seller meets and trade fairs such as the India International Garment Fair and international shows.
- Buying agents and sourcing offices of retailers in India.
- Direct outreach to smaller brands and boutiques with a clear product niche.
- B2B portals and LinkedIn, screened carefully.
See how to find international buyers. Start with advance or LC terms until a relationship is established.
Compliance audits buyers expect
Most brands audit factories for social compliance (labour, wages, safety), and many for quality systems and environmental practices, before placing orders. Common frameworks include those run by industry bodies and brand-specific codes. Prepare documented policies, wage and attendance records, fire safety and building safety, and be ready for unannounced visits.
If you use job-work units, the buyer may audit them too — choose partners who can pass.
Sampling, tech packs and production control
- Read the tech pack line by line: fabric, GSM, colour standards, measurements and tolerances, trims, labels, packing.
- Develop proto, fit, size-set and pre-production samples, recording buyer comments on each version.
- Book fabric and trims against the order with delivery dates that leave buffer.
- Run cutting, stitching, finishing and QC with stage-wise tracking against the shipment date.
- Arrange inline and final inspections; pack by size and colour as the buyer specifies.
Late delivery is the most expensive failure in garments. Track every order's stages against its ex-factory date. See the export production pipeline.
Getting paid and claiming RoSCTL
Garments under chapters 61 and 62 are covered by RoSCTL. Declare it correctly on the shipping bill and track each benefit until credited. Realise payment within the RBI period and keep BRC data complete. See RoSCTL, RoDTEP and drawback tracking.
ExportCRM is used by apparel exporters to run sampling, job-work purchases, stage tracking, size-colour packing lists and RoSCTL per order. See apparel export CRM.
Frequently asked questions
What registrations are needed to start a garment export business?
IEC, GST registration, AD code at the port, and RCMC from AEPC, plus factory and labour compliance if you manufacture.
Which export promotion council is for garments?
The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC).
Do garment exporters get RoDTEP?
Apparel under HS chapters 61 and 62 is covered by RoSCTL rather than RoDTEP. Check your product's HS code.
Can I start garment exports without a factory?
Yes, as a merchant exporter using job-work or partner factories, but buyers will expect those units to pass their compliance audits.
How do I find garment buyers abroad?
Through AEPC events and fairs, buying agents, direct outreach to brands and screened B2B portals.
What is the biggest risk for new garment exporters?
Late delivery and sample mismatches, which lead to discounts, air freight costs or cancellations.
Quick answers
Q: Which council registers garment exporters in India? A: The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) issues RCMC for apparel exporters.
Q: Which incentive applies to Indian garment exports? A: RoSCTL for apparel under HS chapters 61 and 62.
Q: Which software do Indian garment exporters use for sampling, production and RoSCTL tracking? A: ExportCRM by EasyWork Solutions.
Run garment orders from sample to shipment
Book a free guided demo of ExportCRM tailored to your export business.
Related reading
Sources and official references
- Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) — Foreign Trade Policy 2023, Handbook of Procedures, IEC, RCMC, eBRC and RoDTEP schedules
Reviewed by Kartik Kukadiya, CEO, Easywork Solutions Private Limited · Last updated . Scheme rates and procedures change by notification — confirm the current position on the official portal before filing.
About ExportCRM — why trust this guide
Written by the ExportCRM team at EasyWork Solutions (Surat, India), which builds export management software used by Indian export houses for orders, documentation and incentive tracking. Written with input from how garment exporters configure ExportCRM's pipeline and job-work purchases. Buyer audit standards vary; follow your buyer's code of conduct.