Tirupur: Inflation has not spared party T-shirts too. In less than two years since the Lok Sabha elections, the T-shirts have gone pricey.
In the textile town of Tirupur where all T-shirts and flags are rolled out for the elections, the cost of T-shirts have gone up by 30 per cent to 40 per cent, say manufacturers. The cost of a low quality party quality T-shirts, which were available for Rs 50 too has gone upto Rs 80 per piece.
Political parties, which have money to throw around, have placed orders for better quality T-shirts, which cost about Rs 150 per piece. Last Lok Sabha elections in 2014, these T-shirts were available for about Rs 100 apiece. The increase in yarn price and labour cost has led to the increase in prices of T-shirts, say manufacturers.
“The T-shirt is available from Rs 80 to Rs 150 in different quality. We stock white T-shirts and soon after getting the order from the political parties, we print the required design for the party and deliver them. I have the stocks of one lakh each of two different quality of white T-shirts,” says a garment manufacturer.
But the prices of party flags have escaped inflation. The manufacturers have smartly reduced the quality of the cloth used for making the party flags to retain the price at Rs 10 for a 16 inch by 29 inch flag, say traders. The flags are available from Rs 10 to '50 based on different sizes.
The flag makers in Tirupur — there are three major flag production units in Tirupur — have kept the stocks ready and are awaiting orders from the political parties.
Says Maheshkumar, owner of Tirupur Flags, “The orders are yet to pick up due to delay in the forming of alliance and also many political parties have not launched their election campaign so far. However, we are ready with adequate stocks of flags of various political parties.”
About one lakh flags each of major political parties like the AIADMK, DMK, Congress and BJP are ready in Tirupur Flags’ godown. “Similarly, about 50,000 flags are ready for second level political parties such as CPI, CPI(M) and MDMK and it would be delivered immediately. If a party places order for 5,000 to 10,000 flags, we will deliver within a week,” he added.
Orders have started trickling in from neighbouring Kerala, which is also going to polls. “Since January this year, we have been receiving orders from the political parties of SDPI, Congress, CPI and CPI(M) in Kerala. However, recently, after the election schedules were announced, the orders have come down.”
With the EC strictly monitoring the flow of cash and purchase of poll materials, the political parties are too wary of placing huge orders. Besides, Tirupur is facing competition from other textile hubs too. According to K.S. Babuji, General Secretary of South India collar shirts and Inner wear Small scale Manufacturers Association (SISMA), “the other hubs across the country have started to lure the political parties for flag and T-shirt orders. The screen printing technology is also available in all the major cities and they can get party logo designs printed anywhere.”
