India has generated an estimated 14 million manufacturing jobs between 2018 and 2024, supported by a strong post-pandemic rebound and expanding informal-sector activity.
A significant share of this growth—around five million jobs—came solely from the custom tailoring segment, according to a new report drawing on Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data and census-based population projections.
The findings, published by Data For India using data from the PLFS, the National Statistical Office and population projections, reveal that nearly two out of every five new manufacturing jobs created over the past six years have been taken up by tailors.
The trend underscores a notable shift in the structure of India’s labour market and the composition of its manufacturing workforce.
Post-Pandemic Spike Reshapes Job Patterns
The report shows that the most dramatic increase in tailoring jobs occurred after 2021, when the sector expanded rapidly alongside a wider resurgence in small manufacturing trades.
Analysts attribute this rise to changing consumer behaviour, particularly a growing preference for alteration, repair and custom-fit garments. Increased disposable incomes in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, combined with the resilience of micro-enterprises, further accelerated demand.
By 2024, tailoring had gained roughly five million additional workers, whereas the rest of the manufacturing sector collectively accounted for about nine million. This widening gap indicates a clear reshaping of employment generation in India’s manufacturing ecosystem.
Despite its rapid growth, the tailoring industry remains overwhelmingly informal.
According to the report, nearly 99% of custom tailors operate within the unorganised sector, lacking registration, formal contracts, social security or labour protections.
Skills training is minimal as well, with more than 80% of workers in the trade reporting no vocational training.
Earnings also remain modest. About eight in ten self-employed tailors earn around ₹6,000 per month—less than half the average monthly income of workers in other manufacturing activities, the report notes.
As India’s labour market continues to evolve, the surge in tailoring employment highlights both the opportunities and challenges of relying on informal-sector growth to drive overall job creation.
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