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NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY

KOLKATA

DEPARTMENT OF FASHION MANAGEMENT STUDIES

CLUSTER REPORT

TOPIC: EXISTING POSSIBILITIES OF PRODUCT IMAGE & BRANDING

MEGHA SARIN (05)

G. N HARIKRISHNAN(18)

SHIRIN MORGAN(04)

SANKAR SARKAR(05)

SHINEY IGNATIUS(21)

FMS DEPARTMENT

SEMETER III

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CLUSTER

A cluster is defined as a concentration of enterprises producing same or similar products or

strategic services and is situated within a contiguous geographical area spanning over a few

villages, a town or a city and its surrounding areas in a district and face common

opportunities and threats. Accordingly, we have not considered activities which are of daily

use services and/or where scope for joint action or passive cooperation is minimal or where

the product grouping is too wide for common threats/opportunities to emerge. Clusters may

be broadly divided into the following broad categories:

Industrial cluster: Having at least 100 enterprises and/or a minimum turnover of Rs.100

million. Units in these clusters are functioning from factory premises with hired workers.

Such clusters have a mix of micro, small, medium, few large and at times all micro units.

Micro-enterprise clusters: Such clusters are all micro units and are mostly done by

household based units by mostly utilizing home based workers. These include artisanal

(handicrafts and handloom) and other micro enterprise clusters. A handloom cluster has a

minimum of about 500 looms and that of handicrafts and other microenterprise clusters is

estimated to have around 50 units.

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Table of Contents:

S.NO. CHAPTER

1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

3 LITERATURE REVIEW

4 OBJECTIVE

5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

6 INTRODUCTION

6.1 CLUSTER

6.2 PRINTING

6.3 TYPES OF PRINTING

6.4 BLOCK PRINTING & SCREEN PRINTING

7 GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES & POLICIES

8 CRAFT CLUSTER UNDER STUDY

8.1 HISTORY

9 CASE STUDY- CLUSTER

9.1 UNIT 1

9.2 UNIT 2

9.3 UNIT 3

9.4 UNIT 4

10 MARKET VISIT

11 BRANDING CONCEPTS

12 RECOMMENDATIONS

13 CONCLUSION

14 BIBLIOGRAPHY

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all we would like to thank Dr. Annanya Deb Roy, who has been our Guide and

Mentor for the accomplishment of the Project. Apart from our efforts, there have been a few

People who constantly helped us on my every up and down. We take this as an opportunity to

express our gratitude to the people who have been instrumental in the successful completion

of our craft cluster project. Last but not the least; we would like to put in a word of thanks to

all the faculty members Ms. Ritu Malhotra, Dr. Sougata Banerjee, Mr. D.B.Dutta and Dr.

Annanya Deb Roy of NIFT, Kolkata for their constant help and guidance. And above all we

would also like to thank the Assistant of the IT Lab for allowing us to use IT Lab for research

and processing work.

We would also like to express our heartfelt thanks to the Co-ordinators of the Library and

Resource Centre of our college, who assisted us in providing with relevant books and

websites allowing us to carry out the necessary research work for the project. We would

sincerely thank all our faculty teachers who constantly provided us with knowledge and

support to be able to complete this project work. We would also like to thank our friends who

have helped us a lot with continuous improvement tips in writing the term paper.

Thank you.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A cluster is defined as a concentration of enterprises producing same or similar products or

strategic services and is situated within a contiguous geographical area spanning over a few

villages, a town or a city and its surrounding areas in a district and face common

opportunities and threats.

Textile printing is the process of applying colour to fabric in definite patterns or designs. In

properly printed fabrics the colour is bonded with the fiber, so as to resist washing and

friction. Textile printing is related to dyeing but, whereas in dyeing proper the whole fabric is

uniformly covered with one colour, in printing one or more colours are applied to it in certain

parts only, and in sharply defined patterns.

In printing, wooden blocks, stencils, engraved plates, rollers, or silk screens can be used to

place colours on the fabric. Colourants used in printing contain dyes thickened to prevent the

colour from spreading by capillary attraction beyond the limits of the pattern or design.

Traditional textile printing techniques may be broadly categorised into four styles:

Direct printing, in which colourants containing dyes, thickeners, and the mordants or

substances

Necessary for fixing the colour on the cloth are printed in the desired pattern.

The printing of a mordant in the desired pattern prior to dyeing cloth; the color adheres only

where the mordant was printed.

Resist dyeing, in which a wax or other substance is printed onto fabric which is dyed.

The waxed areas do not accept the dye, leaving uncoloured patterns against a coloured

ground.

Discharge printing, in which a bleaching agent is printed onto previously dyed fabrics to

remove

some or all of the colour.

Resist and discharge techniques were particularly fashionable in the 19th century, as were

combination techniques in which indigo resist was used to create blue backgrounds prior to

block-printing of other colours. Most modern industrialised printing uses direct printing

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techniques.

The conventional hand block printing where the artisan print the impression through small

carved wooden blocks on the fabric, one after the other. However, the process is much more

laborious due to the pre-requirements of fabric preparation which involved washing,

kneading, sun-drying, bleaching and dyeing. Besides, the eco friendly natural vegetable dyes

were also prepared in-house, a process that required six to ten weeks for the entire process.

This process although time consuming and highly laborious is still being used by a large

group of almost 400 entrepreneurs organised as a social community.

The industries are traditionally set up in residential area, with the expansion of work and

population in the adjoining region finds lack of space, water and other infrastructural

facilities. The pollution level has increased quantitatively and qualitatively and the

enforcement from government has meant a lingering threat of industry closure, specially due

to the polluting nature of screen printing industry. The traditional industry, although not

polluting in ideal cases has also resorted to the usage of chemicals and synthetic dyes which

require treatment before discharge of effluents. There has been hardly any technological

upgradation to make the process less labour intensive and environment friendly.

In order to make quick gains, some of the intermediaries have taken to unethical practices

that have lowered the brand image of the entire cluster. The industry, which is presently at the

low road end, requires better linkages of the printers with the market to produce what is

desired by the consumers, besides developing a self driven mechanism to check such

malpractices. In the long term, steps need to be initiated to increase value addition of the

product and set up a separate industrial estate with several common facilities for supplies,

designs, related services and pollution control. For such units that are non polluting,

recognition of the firms as industrial units by the Government will enable them to get access

to financial resources provided by banks and better infrastructure facilities by the

government.

With differing interest groups in the industry, it does not seem feasible to organise them under

the same umbrella for the modernisation of this cluster. Smaller groups with active

intermediaries will have to locate to initiate small but productively useful activities that

would build trust among the firms to enable them take up long terms issues for resolution.

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Poor education background, financial constraints, lack of interface with the local government

and high level of dependence on the trader community are likely to be the most crucial

bottlenecks. Most of the institutions set up to serve the interests of the industry are not able to

fulfil their role due to lack of interest from the beneficiaries and service providers. A market

survey in order to understand the scope for future prospects seems to be a necessary pre-

requisite.

After the study of the clusters visited, it was found that there are no existing brand and

product image in the cluster. The need for a brand name is prominent & will benefit the

cluster. The traditional aspect of the craft can be tapped. A brand name will give provide

awareness about the rich heritage of the craft. Once brand name will be formed, it will help

the cluster owners to create a unique market for themselves because of the uniqueness of the

craft.

Units in the cluster can open up their own retail store instead of providing their products to

the buyers. They can get their brand name, once made, and registered at the regional

trademark office. One must make a business plan and financial plan. They should be

compliant and make use of the schemes provided by the government. Show-case their

products at trade fairs in order to gain recognition.

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LITERATURE REVIEW

According to Diagnostic study of artisan the textile hand printing cluster Jaipur,

Rajasthan (1997)

USA was the most important export destination for Indian Hand Printed Textiles with a share

of almost 32 percent in the total exports of Rs 580 crores in 1995-96. The other important

destinations were United Kingdom and Germany with a share of 13.5 percent and with 11

percent respectively.

According to Diagnostic study of artisan the textile hand printing cluster Jaipur,

Rajasthan (1997

Screen printing has now led to new ways of printing with the help of screens (sort of printing

stencils), although manually operated, yet are capable of large scale printing, several times

faster than the hand block printing. It was estimated that on two tables it is possible to print

100 meters length per day. This has led to reduction in the cost of printing with the same

designs.

According to Hand Block Printed Textiles (HBPT) Cluster of Jaipur, India (1997)

The HBPT cluster of Jaipur consists of around 150 units of hand block printers in the

township of Sanganer, 125 block printing units in the village of Bagru and around 20 printing

units and 50 exporters of this product in the city of Jaipur. During the early fifties, the

industry was mainly in the form of mass consumption. The art of printing was a family

tradition, with every member contributing in the process. There was a ready market created

by the existing social practices and choices which were used for making typical garments to

reflect the caste or any other social identity, e.g. his profession. As an art form it was

patronized by the Royal families. In some cases the returns were much above the actual value

of the labour and capital employed by the artisan. The returns included wages, profits as well

as some rent element due to the excellence of the finished product.

According to Pali cluster report (1994)

Most of the units here do job work for traders operating from Pali as well as those from

bigger cities like Mumbai, Kolkata and other such big markets. In this model of working, the

traders arrange grey and different processes are accomplished at different places. The

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processors get only conversion cost. Some other units have their own agent based marketing

network. The order is taken by these agents and is passed on to the processors who in turn

dispatch the required shades and grades. The agent does collection on behalf of the processor

and gets his cut for the services rendered.

Political Weekly, Vol. 39, No. 6, pp. 553-563.

Several studies have been conducted on the marketing aspects and the challenges faced in this

area by the handloom industry in the recent decades. Niranjana (2004) studied the

characteristics, nature of markets, mode of institutional mediation such as cooperatives on the

basis of case studies from three regions of Andhra Pradesh, namely, Coastal Andhra,

Rayalseema and Telangana. This study contradicted the popular perceptions that handlooms

catered to a niche market only, both overseas and in India; and that setting up of cooperatives

was a panacea to tackle the problems of yarn, market access and employment of the

handloom industry. It was further observed that on one hand the well functioning smaller

cooperatives had suffered due to mergers with larger cooperatives and on the other side the

to the collapse of many cooperatives and ultimately affected the common weaver in the state.

The study suggested that several issues related to the handloom industry required mapping

and analysis on the basis of field information. Sharma (2004) traced the success of providing

innovative Business Development Services (BDS) in design and product development;

-ups through National

Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in different handloom clusters in 14 districts of

Andhra Pradesh.

According to Niranjana S, Annapurna M, Syamasundari B, TummuruLatha and

31,pp. 3361-65.

Niranjana et al (2006) attempted to highlight certain trends and processes that typify

marketing of handlooms and offered insights into understanding marketing practices of

artisanal production.

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-33.

Kumar (2007) presented the case of Anokhi (a federation of craftsmen) in reviving Rajasthan

block prints and changing the way that these craft items were marketed while Aruna M

(2006) traced the case study of Urmul Trust in Bikaner, Rajasthan, in making handloom

weaving a major income generation activity by product innovation and diversification to cater

to the demands of national and international markets.

Knowledge, Vol.8 (4), and October 2009.

Ashis et al (2009) report on the cluster development programme of Shantipur handloom

cluster to formulate a sustainable business plan as well as marketing plan to assist the historic

cluster to compete in the ever challenging textile business. The report concludes that there is

growing opportunity for market diversification, product diversifications in exports and local

markets etc by adopting appropriate level of technology or contemporary methods thereby

ensuring better price realization of the produce, and inturn empowerment of the entire

Centre for Development Studies, January 1998.

Kannan (1998) states that in the handloom weaving industry, absence of modernisation

(including technological changes) in the Schumpetarian sense, led to the decline of the

industry in Kerala. This was despite the demonstrated ability of the workers to innovate

products and capture foreign markets for a short span of time. The failure of labour unions to

agree to productivity improvements through technological changes and increasingly resorting

to 'closed shop' strategies has been particularly emphasized in this respect.

According to Reguladevi A.K.

1st January 1983

Rejuladevi (1983) suggest the government take care of the handloom industry by allocating

huge resources for the development of the industry. Socio- economic position of the majority

of weavers is not in a better position and the weavers are trying to give up their profession

and go to alternative works.

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A brand is both, tangible and intangible, practical and symbolic, visible and invisible under

conditions that are economically viable fo ( Kapferer, 1986).

It is mentioned that the brand is a sign therefore external-whose function is to disclose the

hidden qualities of aproduct which are inaccessible to contact (Kapferer, 1997). The brand

served to identify a product and to distinguish it from competition

Branding is a major issue in product strategy (Kotler, 2000). As the brand was only part of

the product, the communication strategy worked towards exposing the brand and creating a

brand image. Within the traditional branding model, the goal was to build a brand image,

(Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2000); a tactical element that drives short-term results.

Brand equity is a multidimensional construct, which consists of brand loyalty, customer based

brand awareness, perceived quality and brand associations. Various researchers contended

Brand awareness influences consumer decision making by affecting the strength of the brand

associations in their mind, (Keller, 1993).

It is also pointed out that there are several dimensions of brand awareness with brand

associations (Pitta and Katsanis, 1995).

Elisa Giuliani (2010) has identified a firm-centred interpretation of why someindustrial

clusters forge ahead and others lag behind and argues that the dynamic growth of a cluster

depends on its absorptive capacity and therefore on the capacity of firms to absorb external

knowledge and diffuse it into the intra-cluster knowledge system. She also speculates on the

-

and extra cluster knowledge systems. It concludes by illustrating that a conceptual link exists

between firm-level knowledge bases, the cluster absorptive capacity and its potential for

growth.

th

publications, 1974

The concept of cluster is derived from the concept of Industrial District, which owes its

genesis to the successful functioning of Italian Industrial districts. The concept of Industrial

district is age old. Alfred Marshall (1919) mentioned regarding successfully functioning

textile and metal working regions of UK, Germany and France during the latter half of the

19th century. Marshal stated that SMEs can experience economic gains when clustered in

terms of geographic concentration and performing a typical industrial activity. This can be

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gained through inter-firm division of labour. Economic gains are reinforced through the

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OBJECTIVE

Primary objective

To study the business process and management of the printing cluster of Serampore

SECONDARY OBJECTIVE(S):

To identify the existing possibilities of product image and branding.

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Research Methodology

Research Design: This work can be categorized as exploratory research, involves surveys,

consultation with experts in the field, to analyze selected cases. Apart from this this can be

descriptive in nature.

Sources of Data: The present study is based on both secondary information and primary data.

The secondary data has been extracted from books and websites. The main aim of collecting

primary data was to analyze the perception and behavior of customers towards the different

printing brand.

According to the Nature of Data: The research will be Quantitative as well as qualitative in

nature. Quantitative Research refers to the systematic investigation statistical, mathematical

or computational techniques are used in this case

According to the Coverage: Macro Study

According to the Research Methods used: It is a Empirical Research or a data-based

research, coming up with conclusions which are capable of being verified with observation

According to the Time Frame: It will be a Longitudinal Research as the analysis would

require data for the past 5-6 years

According to the Purpose of the Study: Exploratory Study as well as causal effect study

Research process

Phase 1:

Exploratory Research

1. Research definition

2. Desk research. This involved the following:

i) Understanding printing sector in the West Bengal

ii)Understanding printing sector in Serampore

3. Planning the Research project

4. Ethnography research involving faculty and students

i) Undertaken to study and capture the system of meaning in the lives of the printing cluster

community

ii) Undertaken to identify the various stakeholders of the clusters

iii) On -field study by a group of 5 personnel

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iv) Research initiated to assist develop schedule for the next stage of study

Phase 2:

Design of questionnaire

1. Qualitative information needs

2. Plan for respondent cooperation

3. Design, pre-test and revision of questionnaire

Phase 3:

Sampling Frame and Data collection

1. Drawing of sampling frame and identification of respondents

2. Execution survey

Phase 4:

Data Analysis and Inference

1. Content analysis of the survey data

2. Interpretation of the data

3. Drawing Inferences

Phase 5:

1. Presentation of the research findings

2. Submission of the report

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6.1 INTRODUCTION

Cluster

A cluster is defined as a concentration of enterprises producing same or similar products or

strategic services and is situated within a contiguous geographical area spanning over a few

villages, a town or a city and its surrounding areas in a district and face common

opportunities and threats. Accordingly, we have not considered activities which are of daily

use services and/or where scope for joint action or passive cooperation is minimal or where

the product grouping is too wide for common threats/opportunities to emerge. A cluster is

defined as a geographic concentration (a city/town/few adjacent villages and their adjoining

areas)of units producing near similar products and facing common opportunities and threats.

An artisan cluster is defined as geographically concentrated (mostly in villages/townships)

household units producing handicraft/handloom products. In a typical cluster, such producers

often belong to a traditional community, producing the long-established products for

generations. Indeed, many artisan clusters are centuries old Artisan.

Clusters may be broadly divided into the following broad categories

Industrial cluster: Having at least 100 enterprises and/or a minimum turnover of Rs.100

million. Units in these clusters are functioning from factory premises with hired workers.

Such clusters have a mix of micro, small, medium, few large and at times all micro units.

Micro-enterprise clusters: Such clusters are all micro units and are mostly done by

household based units by mostly utilising home based workers. These include artisanal

(handicrafts and handloom) and other micro enterprise clusters. A handloom cluster has a

minimum of about 500 looms and that of handicrafts and other microenterprise clusters is

estimated to have around 50 units.

Methodology and Evolution for Identification of Clusters

Methodology: Globally there are two methods of cluster identification viz. statistical method

and primary method. Literature on cluster identification methodology also supports the

combination of both methods because of the limitation of both the methods. Most industrially

developed countries, particularly USA, UK and Italy have used statistical methods that tend

to measure the sectoral and geographical intensity of enterprises drawn from national

statistics available about enterprises. The challenge of most developing countries is the lack

of such data, further accentuated by high level of informal economy making it extremely

difficult to reach verifiable numbers.

Second challenge is that there is no law that recognizes and defines clusters in terms of the

number of enterprises, scale of output and the geographical boundaries considered sufficient

to contain the number of enterprises. Considering the wide typology of enterprises in terms of

their size, technology used, market accessed and most important the intent to provide public

support through a large number of Ministries, some parameters about clusters have been fixed

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to draw administrative criteria for provision of public assistance. For example, clusters in

India have been segregated based on whether the looms used for weaving fabric are hand

operated because this industry is supported by a national department of handlooms. Another

yarn. A separate national department is responsible for handicrafts, another one for coir

industry and yet another one for information technology based enterprises. Finally, there is a

full national commissionerate to support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)

under national ministry of MSMEs that has a number of enterprises overlapping with other

typologies. Census often made by different departments is made using different criteria and at

different times thus making aggregation extremely difficult.

So the option that we were left with was to draw upon available statistical information,

cluster level studies, source opinions from knowledgeable people including policy makers,

funding institutions, regulators, credit providing organizations, development agencies and

business membership organizations. Cross verification of the analysis made and numbers

formed have therefore taken more than 14 years since 1996 when the first attempt to this

effect was made in the context of India. Thereon, the numbers and diversity has increased to

unearth a rich and wide variety of congregations of enterprises that Indian smaller enterprises

observatory makes a humble attempt to document what is available so far that hopefully will

provide insights to what can be done to freeze the picture at a given point of time and what

more may be undertaken in future.

Evolution:

The process of identifying clusters in India started with UNDP project (TSS 1) implemented

by UNIDO 1996. This publication was authored by Mr. Mukesh Gulati at present Executive

Director of Foundation for MSME Clusters. This publication identified 138 industrial and

1657 artisanal clusters. This list of industrial clusters also found place in the Abid Hussian

Committee report published in 1997.

Thereafter the list was gradually increased to 338 industrial clusters and approximately 2500

artisan clusters under the auspicious of the four UNIDO projects US/GLO/95/144,

US/IND/97/148, US/GL/02/059 and US/IND/01/193 executed during the years 1997 to 2005.

During these projects the UNIDO team interacted with number of informed persons

(representative of industry associations, State Government Directorates of Industries &

Crafts, their District Industries Centres, other technical institutions, the then office of

Development Commissioner, Small Scale Industries (DCSSI) and its regional offices Small

Industries Service Institutes (SISIs), etc. The information was collected both by seeking

information directly and also during the various cluster development training programmes

that UNIDO conducted since the year 2000 directly as well as with other institutions like

Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) Ahmedabad, Indian Institute of

Entrepreneurship (IIE) Guwahati, NISIET (now National Institute for Micro, Small and

Medium Enterprises NIMSME) Hyderabad, Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion (K-BIP)

Thiruvananthapuram. Data was also shared with DICs/SISIs and response was incorporated

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wherever possible. This helped the list of industrial clusters to grow up to 338 by the year

2004/2005. During these projects, UNIDO also collected number of reports and census

document on handicraft and handloom clusters and thus a list of around 2500 handicrafts

clusters and 535 handloom clusters was also created.

By the year 2008, a chain of UNIDO projects came to a close and before that the Foundation

for MSME Clusters was created at the suggestion of the Govt. of India and technical support

of UNIDO, in the year 2005. The Foundation planned in the year 2009 to update the available

list of clusters compiled under the UNIDO string of cluster projects. The Foundation has for

over the period 2008-11, did the following to update the resources with financial support

Science & Technology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India:

1. Interact with the office of DCMSME to get access to the list of clusters and diagnostic studies undertaken under their ongoing scheme of assistance MSECDP (Micro, Small

Enterprises Cluster Development Programme). Here the All India Census of SMEs

undertaken in the year 2003 by the office of DCMSME was also helpful to identify

the industrial clusters.

2. Interact with various State Governments during the process of training that the Foundation provided to their teams and gathered knowledge about more clusters

along with their details. During this process the Foundation has interacted with the

state governments of West Bengal, Kerala, Haryana and also with various institutions

which have regional presence including the NIMSME, KBIP, EDII, IIE, Cane and

Bamboo Technology Center (CBTC) etc. Apart from this the Foundation also

interacted with the representatives of over 150 associations all over India and gathered

intelligence from them regarding the presence of clusters.

3. The Foundation also got useful information from a number of other financial institutions particularly, Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI),

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)

4. Information was also verified with net based survey and feedback received internally from the four regional offices of the Foundation. The Foundation also did primary

survey of the clusters of Orissa undertaken in the year 2008 with support from interns

drawn from Indian Institute of Forest Management

5. It may be mentioned here that this portal has data about the estimated number of firms in the clusters and/or estimated gross financial turnover for around 60% of industrial

clusters. Similarly there is already a confirmation about the estimated number of

looms in over 80% of the handloom clusters. Similar information for handicraft

clusters is in the range of 25% of clusters. At times it is also not sure as to whether the

figures available are number of artisans or household units. However we have

retained all cases where no further data is available, to verify it at some later point of

time.

6. In most of the cases these clusters are spread over a place a city/few villages/contiguous blocks of a district. Such data are based on diagnostic studies

undertaken by various institutions who have undertaken primary sample based

surveys for cluster analysis. But in cases of secondary data from other sources,

identification of units in a district has also been considered as a cluster. These clusters

need to be verified as clusters as and when cluster diagnostic studies shall be

undertaken.

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6.2 Textile printing

Textile printing is the process of applying colour to fabric in definite patterns or designs. In

properly printed fabrics the colour is bonded with the fiber, so as to resist washing and

friction. Textile printing is related to dyeing but, whereas in dyeing proper the whole fabric is

uniformly covered with one colour, in printing one or more colours are applied to it in certain

parts only, and in sharply defined patterns.

In printing, wooden blocks, stencils, engraved plates, rollers, or silk screens can be used to

place colours on the fabric. Colourants used in printing contain dyes thickened to prevent the

colour from spreading by capillary attraction beyond the limits of the pattern or design.

Traditional textile printing techniques may be broadly categorised into four styles:

Direct printing, in which colourants containing dyes, thickeners, and the mordants or

substances

Necessary for fixing the colour on the cloth are printed in the desired pattern.

The printing of a mordant in the desired pattern prior to dyeing cloth; the color adheres only

where the mordant was printed.

Resist dyeing, in which a wax or other substance is printed onto fabric which is dyed.

The waxed areas do not accept the dye, leaving uncoloured patterns against a coloured

ground.

Discharge printing, in which a bleaching agent is printed onto previously dyed fabrics to

remove

some or all of the colour.

Resist and discharge techniques were particularly fashionable in the 19th century, as were

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combination techniques in which indigo resist was used to create blue backgrounds prior to

block-printing of other colours. Most modern industrialised printing uses direct printing

techniques.

Origin

Woodblock printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely

throughout East Asia and probably originating in China in antiquity as a method of printing

on textiles and later paper. As a method of printing on cloth, the earliest surviving examples

from China date to before 220.

Textile printing was known in Europe, via the Islamic world, from about the 12th century,

and widely used. However, the European dyes tended to liquify, which restricted the use of

printed patterns. Fairly large and ambitious designs were printed for decorative purposes such

as wall-hangings and lectern-cloths, where this was less of a problem as they did not need

washing. When paper became common, the technology was rapidly used on that for woodcut

prints. Superior cloth was also imported from Islamic countries, but this was much more

expensive.

The Incas of Peru, Chile and the Aztecs of Mexico also practiced textile printing previous to

the Spanish Invasion in 1519; but owing to the imperfect character of their records before that

date, it is impossible to say whether they discovered the art for themselves, or, in some way,

learned its principles from the Asiatics.

During the later half of the 17th century the French brought directly by sea, from their

colonies on the east coast of India, samples of Indian blue and white resist prints, and along

with them, particulars of the processes by which they had been produced, which produced

washable fabrics.

6.3 Methods of Printing

Hand block printing

This process, though considered by some to be the most artistic, is the earliest, simplest and

slowest of all methods of printing.

In this process, a design is drawn on, or transferred to, a prepared wooden block. A separate

block is required for each distinct colour in the design.

A block cutter carves out the wood around the heavier masses first, leaving the finer and

more delicate work until the last so as to avoid any risk of injuring it during the cutting of the

coarser parts. When finished, the block presents the appearance of flat relief carving, with the

design standing out.

Fine details are very difficult to cut in wood, and, even when successfully cut, wear down

very rapidly or break off in printing. They are therefore almost invariably built up in strips of

brass or copper, bent to shape and driven edgewise into the flat surface of the block. This

method is known as coppering.

To print the design on the fabric, the printer applies colour to the block and presses it firmly

and steadily on the cloth, ensuring a good impression by striking it smartly on the back with a

wooden mallet. The second impression is made in the same way, the printer taking care to see

that it fits exactly to the first, a point which he can make sure of by means of the pins with

which the blocks are provided at each corner and which are arranged in such a way that when

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those at the right side or at the top of the block fall upon those at the left side or the bottom of

the previous impression the two printings join up exactly and continue the pattern without a

break. Each succeeding impression is made in precisely the same manner until the length of

cloth is fully printed. When this is done it is wound over the drying rollers, thus bringing

forward a fresh length to be treated similarly.

If the pattern contains several colours the cloth is usually first printed throughout with one,

then dried, and printed with the second, the same operations being repeated until all the

colours are printed.

Block printing by hand is a slow process it is, however, capable of yielding highly artistic

results, some of which are unobtainable by any other method.

Perrotine printing

The perrotine is a block-printing machine invented by Perrot of Rouen in 1834, and

practically speaking is the only successful mechanical device ever introduced for this

purpose. For some reason or other it has rarely been used in England, but its value was almost

immediately recognized on the Continent, and although block printing of all sorts has been

replaced to such an enormous extent by roller printing, the perrotine is still largely employed

in French, German and Italian works.

The construction of this ingenious machine is too complex to describe here without the aid of

several detailed drawings, but its mode of action is roughly as follows: Three large blocks

(3 ft. long by 3 to 5 in. wide), with the pattern cut or cast on them in relief, are brought to

bear successively on the three faces of a specially constructed printing table over which the

cloth passes (together with its backing of printers blanket) after each impression. The faces of

the table are arranged at right angles to each other, and the blocks work in slides similarly

placed, so that their engraved faces are perfectly parallel to the tables. Each block is

moreover provided with its own particular colour trough, distributing brush, and woollen

colour pad or sieve, and is supplied automatically with colour by these appliances during the

whole time that the machine is in motion. The first effect of starting the machine is to cause

the colour sieves, which have a reciprocating motion, to pass over, and receive a charge of

colour from, the rollers, fixed to revolve, in the colour troughs. They then return to their

original position between the tables and the printing blocks, coming in contact on the way

with the distributing brushes, which spread the colour evenly over their entire surfaces. At

this point the blocks advance and are gently pressed twice against the colour pads (or sieves)

which then retreat once more towards the colour troughs. During this last movement the cloth

to be printed is drawn forward over the first table, and, immediately the colour pads are

sufficiently out of the way, the block advances and, with some force, stamps the first

impression on it. The second block is now put into gear and the foregoing operations are

repeated for both blocks, the cloth advancing, after each impression, a distance exactly equal

to the width of the blocks. After the second block has made its impression the third comes

into play in precisely the same way, so that as the cloth leaves the machines it's fully printed

in three separate colours, each fitting into its proper place and completing the pattern. If

necessary the forward movement of the cloth can be arrested without in any way interfering

with the motion of the block, san arrangement which allows any insufficiently printed

impression to be repeated in exactly the same place with a precision practically impossible in

hand printing.

For certain classes of work the perrotine possesses great advantages over the hand-block; for

not only is the rate of production greatly increased, but the joining up of the various

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impressions to each other is much more exacting fact, as a rule, no sign of a break in

continuity of line can be noticed in well-executed work. On the other hand, however, the

perrotine can only be applied to the production of patterns containing not more than three

colours nor exceeding five inches in vertical repeat, whereas hand block printing can cope

with patterns of almost any scale and continuing any number of colours. All things

considered, therefore, the two processes cannot be compared on the same basis: the perrotine

is best for work of a utilitarian character and the hand-block for decorative work in which the

design only repeats every 15 to 20 in. and contains colours varying in number from one to a

dozen. -

Engraved copperplate printing

The printing of textiles from engraved copperplates was first practiced in the United

Kingdom by Thomas Bell in 1770.

The presses first used were of the ordinary letterpress type, the engraved plate being fixed in

the place of the type. In later improvements the well-known cylinder press was employed; the

plate was inked mechanically and cleaned off by passing under a sharp blade of steel; and the

cloth, instead of being laid on the plate, was passed round the pressure cylinder. The plate

was raised into frictional contact with the cylinder and in passing under it transferred its ink

to the cloth.

The great difficulty in plate printing was to make the various impressions join up exactly;

and, as this could never be done with any certainty, the process was eventually confined to

patterns complete in one repeat, and was made obsolete by roller printing.

Roller printing, cylinder printing, or machine printing

This elegant and efficient process was patented and worked by Bell in 1785 only fifteen years

after his application of the engraved plate to textiles. Bell's first patent was for a machine to

print six colours at once, but, owing probably to its incomplete development, this was not

immediately successful, although the principle of the method was shown to be practical by

the printing of one colour with perfectly satisfactory results. The difficulty was to keep the

six rollers, each carrying a portion of the pattern, in perfect register with each other. This

defect was soon overcome by Adam Parkinson of Manchester, and in 1785, the year of its

invention, Bells machine with Parkinson's improvement was successfully employed by

Messrs Livesey, Hargreaves and Company of Bamber Bridge, Preston, for the printing of

calico in from two to six colours at a single operation.

The advantages possessed by roller printing over other contemporary processes were three:

firstly, its high productivity, 10,000 to 12,000 yards being commonly printed in one day of

ten hours by a single-colour machine; secondly, by its capacity of being applied to the

reproduction of every style of design, ranging from the fine delicate lines of copperplate

engraving and the small repeats and limited colours of the perrotine to the broadest effects of

block printing and to patterns varying in repeat from I to 80 in.; and thirdly, the wonderful

exactitude with which each portion of an elaborate multicolour pattern can be fitted into its

proper place without faulty joints at its points of repetition.

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Stencil printing

The art of stenciling is not new. It has been applied to the decoration of textile fabrics from

time immemorial by the Japanese, and, of late years, has found increasing employment in

Europe for certain classes of decorative work on woven goods for furnishing purposes.

The pattern is cut out of a sheet of stout paper or thin metal with a sharp-pointed knife, the

uncut portions representing the part that is to be reserved or left uncoloured. The sheet is now

laid on the material to be decorated and colour is brushed through its interstices.

It is obvious that with suitable planning an all over pattern may be just as easily produced by

this process as by hand or machine printing, and that moreover, if several plates are used, as

many colours as plates may be introduced into it. The peculiarity of stenciled patterns is that

they have to be held together by ties, that is to say, certain parts of them have to be left uncut,

so as to connect them with each other, and prevent them from falling apart in separate pieces.

For instance, a complete circle cannot be cut without its center dropping out, and,

consequently, its outline has to be interrupted at convenient points by ties or uncut portions.

Similarly with other objects. The necessity for ties exercises great influence on the design,

and in the hands of a designer of indifferent ability they may be very unsightly. On the other

hand, a capable man utilizes them to supply the drawing, and when thus treated they form an

integral part of the pattern and enhance its artistic value whilst complying with the conditions

and the process.

For single-colour work a stenciling machine was patented in 1894 by S. H. Sharp. It consists

of an endless stencil plate of thin sheet steel that passes continuously over a revolving cast

iron cylinder. Between the two the cloth to be ornamented passes and the colour is forced on

to it, through the holes in the stencil, by mechanical means.

Screen-printing

Screen printing is by far the most used technology today. Two types exist: rotary screen

printing and flat (bed) screen printing. A blade squeezes the printing paste through openings

in the screen onto the fabric.

Digital textile printing

Digital textile printing, often referred to as direct to garment printing, DTG printing, and

digital garment printing is a process of printing on textiles and garments using specialized or

modified inkjet technology. Inkjet printing on fabric is also possible with an inkjet printer by

using fabric sheets with a removable paper backing. Today major inkjet technology

manufacturers can offer specialized products designed for direct printing on textiles, not only

for sampling but also for bulk production. Since the early 1990s, inkjet technology and

specially developed water-based ink (known as dye-sublimation or disperse direct ink) has

offered the possibility of printing directly onto polyester fabric. This is mainly related to

visual communication in retail and brand promotion (flags, banners and other point of sales

applications). Printing onto nylon and silk can be done by using an acid ink. Reactive ink is

used for cellulose based fibers, such as cotton and linen. Using inkjet technology in digital

textile printing allows for single pieces, mid-run production and even long-run alternatives to

screen printed fabric.

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Other methods of printing

Although most work is executed throughout by one or other of the seven distinct processes

mentioned above, combinations of them are frequently employed. Sometimes a pattern is

printed partly by machine and partly by block; and sometimes a cylindrical block is used

along with engraved copper-rollers in the ordinary printing machine. The block in this latter

case is in all respects, except that of shape, identical with a flat wood or coppered block, but,

instead of being dipped in colour, it receives its supply from an endless blanket, one part of

which works in contact with colour-furnishing rollers and the other part with the cylindrical

block. This block is known as a surface or peg roller. Many attempts have been made to print

multicolour patterns with surface rollers alone, but hitherto with little success, owing to their

irregularity in action and to the difficulty of preventing them from warping. These defects are

not present in the printing of linoleum in which opaque oil colours are used, colours that

neither sink into the body of the hard linoleum nor tend to warp the roller.

'Inkjet Printing on Fabric' is a way anyone can print on fabric using their home printer.

Specially treated Cotton, as well as various types of Bamboo and Silk fabric sheets, are

available in various sizes. The fabric sheets have a paper backing which enable the fabric to

go through the inkjet printer. Family photos printed on fabric are used to make memory

quilts, pillows, notebook covers, wall hangings, ornaments and many other products. The

printed fabric is dipped in water to set the ink after the inkjet ink dries, making it washable.

Print on Fabric paper-backed inkjet sheets are available on Amazon and other websites.

The printing of yarns and warping is extensively practiced. It is usually carried on by a

simple sort of surface printing machine and calls for no special mention.

Lithographic printing, too, has been applied to textile fabrics with somewhat qualified

success. Its irregularity and the difficulty of printing all over patterns to repeat properly, have

restricted its use to the production of decorative panels, equal in size to that of the plate or

stone, and complete in themselves.

Pad printing has been recently introduced to textile printing for the specific purpose of

printing garment tags (care labels).

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Chapter 7-BLOCK AND SCREEN PRINTING

Block Printing

History India has been renowned for its printed and dyed cotton cloth since the 12th century and the

craft flourished as the fabric received royal patronage. Though the earliest records mention

the printing centers in the south, the craft seems to have been prevalent all over India. The

earliest centers for block printing seem to have been located in what are now the states of

Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. From these centers, the craft appears to have spread gradually

with the migration of craftworkers to other areas. Centers such as Sanganer in Rajasthan rose

to prominence in the 18th century. Other centers such as Serampur developed even later,

becoming the hub of block printing in West Bengal only in the 1940s. Now, there is the

increasing phenomenon of block printing units being set up in urban areas including Calcutta

and Jaipur city.

Regions

Block printing is practiced in many different geographical regions of India with each area

having its own particular local aesthetic. The main centers where block printing is practiced

are:

Andhra Pradesh: Hyderabad, Machalipattnam (Kalamkari)

Gujarat: Ahmedabad (Pethapur), Kutch, Porbandar, Rajkot

Rajasthan: Bagru, Chittroli, Sanganer, Jaipur, Jodhpur

Madhya Pradesh: Bagh, Behrongarh, Indore, Mandsar, Burhanpur

Uttar Pradesh: Benares (Block-makers), Farrukabad, Pilakhuan (Block-makers)

West Bengal: Calcutta, Serampur

Each of these regions traditionally had distinct design elements with unique color schemes

and motifs. Although the commercialization of the craft has seen a convergence in design

elements between the various regions, block printed fabric by expert craftworkers from each

of these regions are still identifiable by its region of origin.

Raw Materials

Block printing has become popular because the simple process can create intricate designs in

rich and vibrant colors. Originally natural dyes were used but today they have been replaced

by chemical and artificial colors.

Tools

The main tools of the printer are wooden blocks in different shapes - square, rectangle, oval,

round and semi-circular or crescent - and sizes called bunta. Blocks are hand-carved of

seasoned teak wood by trained craftsmen. On the bottom face the motif are engraved with

steel chisels of different widths and cutting surface by the carver. Each block has a wooden

handle and two to three cylindrical holes drilled into the block for free air passage and also to

allow release of excess printing paste. The new blocks are soaked in oil for 10-15 days to

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soften the grains in the timber. These blocks sometimes have metal over the wood. Metal

sheets are beaten by hand and made wafer thin and malleable. The thin sheets are then cut

into strips of even length. The design of the block is drawn on the wooden block and the thin

metal strips are pressed onto the design and gently hammered in. The designs are filled in

from the center to the outside to allow maneuverings of the hand. After the design is

completed the design is checked to see if all the brass strips are of the same height from the

wooden base. This is to ensure good high level of printing. Brass blocks are used in case of

very fine designs and for a high level of clarity in print. They also last much longer and are

more expensive and time consuming to make.

Printing Process

Block printing is undertaken on both cotton and silk fabrics of varying counts. The fabric

requires a pre-printing treatment where the fabric to be printed is washed free of starch and

soft bleached if the natural grey of the fabric is not desired. If dyeing is required as in the case

of saris, where borders or the body is tied and dyed, it is done before printing. The fabric is

stretched over the printing table and fastened with small pins (in the case of saris the pallu is

printed first then the border). Historically, the fabric was stretched across a low table, usually

about 2 feet wide and 5 feet long, and the craftworker sat on the floor while imprinting the

fabric. However, since 1950, this has gradually changed with the tables now being waist high

and measuring approximately 3 feet wide and 9 feet long. [L 9 X W 3 X H 3 feet] Each table

now may have multiple block printers working simultaneously on imprinting the fabric

depending upon the intricacies of the design. The block printer pushes along small wooden

trolleys with racks that have castor wheels fastened to their legs to facilitate free movement

as he works. On the upper most shelf trays of dye are placed. On the lower shelves printing

blocks are kept ready. These blocks are then dipped in dye and imprinted on to the fabric by a

skilled block-printer. The printing starts form left to right. The color is evened out in the tray

with a wedge of wood and the block dipped into the outline color (usually black or a dark

color). When the block is applied to the fabric, it is slammed hard with the fist on the back of

the handle so that a good impression may register. A point on the block serves as a guide for

the repeat impression, so that the whole effect is continuous and not disjoined. The outline

printer usually is more experienced because he is the one who leads the process.

If it is a multiple color design the second printer dips his block in color again using the point

or guide for a perfect registration to fill in the color. The third color if existent follows

likewise. Skill is necessary for good printing since the colors need to dovetail into the design

to make it a composite whole. A single color design can be executed faster, a double color

takes more time and multiple color design would mean additional labor and more color

consumption.

Different dyes are used for silk and cotton. Rapid fast dyes, indigo sol and pigment dyes are

cotton dyes. Printing with rapid dyes is a little more complicated as the dyes once mixed for

printing have to be used the same day. Standard colors are black, red, orange, brown and

mustard. Color variation is little difficult and while printing it is not possible to gauge the

quality or depth of color.

It is only after the fabric is processed with an acid wash that the final color is established.

Beautiful greens and pinks are possible with indigo sol colors but pigment colors are more

popular today because the process is simple, the mixed colors can be stored for a period of

time, subtle nuances of colors are possible, and new shades evolve with the mixing of two or

three colors. Also the colors are visible as one prints and do not change after processing.

Colors can be tested before printing by merely applying it onto the fabric. The pigment color

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is made up of tiny particles, which do not dissolve entirely and hence are deposited on the

cloth surface while rapid dyes and indigo sols penetrate the cloth.

Pigment colors are mixed with kerosene and a binder. The consistency should be just right,

for if it is too thick it gives a raised effect on the material, which spoils the design. Small

plastic buckets with lids are ideal for storing the mixed colors over a few days.

Fabrics are dried out in the sun after the pigment printing as part of the fixing process. They

are rolled in wads of newspapers to prevent the dye form adhering to other layers and

steamed in boilers constructed for the purpose. Silks are also steamed this way after printing.

After steaming, the material is washed thoroughly in large quantities of water and dried in the

sun, after which it is finished by ironing out single layers, which fix the color permanently.

The craft of Block printing is therefore characterized by the following processes that are

integral to the craft:

The blocks for imprinting are hand-carved by skilled artisans in wood

These hand-carved block are used to imprint the design onto the fabric

The imprinting is done by hand by a skilled block printer

TYPES OF BLOCK PRINTING

Pigment dyes

Pigment colors are mixed with k erosene and a binder. The consistency should be just right,

for if it is too thick it gives a raised effect on the material, which spoils the design. Small

plastic buckets with lids are ideal for storing the mixed colors for a few days. The motif is

printed directly on white or light-colored ground with a variety of pigment colors.

Pigment colors are widely popular today because the process is simple, the mixed colors can

be stored for a period of time, subtle nuances of colors are possible, and new shades evolve

with the mixing of two or three colors. Also the colors are visible as one prints and do not

change after processing. Colors can be tested before printing by merely applying it onto the

fabric. The pigment color is made up of tiny particles, which do not dissolve entirely and

hence are deposited on the cloth surface while rapid dyes and indigo sols penetrate the cloth.

Rapid fast Colors

In this process, the ground color and the color in the design are printed on white and/or light-

colored grounds in one step. The dyes once mixed for printing have to be used the same day.

Standard colors are black, red, orange, brown and mustard. Color variation is somewhat

difficult and while printing it is not possible to gauge the quality or depth of color.

Discharge Dyes

These dyes are used if you need to print onto a dark background. Medium to dark grounds are

dyed on fabric with specially prepared dyestuff . The printing colors then used on the fabric

contain a chemical that interacts with the dye. This interaction simultaneously bleaches the

color from the dyed ground and prints the desired color on its place. Areas can also be

29 | P a g e

discharged and left white. The primary advantage of this process is that vivid and bright

colors along with white can be printed on top of medium and dark grounds.

Napthol / Reactive dyes

As the name suggests, these are two sets of chemicals which upon reaction produce a third

chemical essentially colorful in nature. Fabric is dyed in one and later printed with the other.

The chemical reaction produces a third color. However, the biggest drawback of this process

is that there are just a few chemicals available which produce colors upon reaction.

Vegetable / Natural dyes

Historically of great importance, these dyes have acquired even greater importance now

because of their eco-friendly nature.

Bagru Black

This is derived by mixing acidic solution of iron - often rusted nails/horse shoes etc. with

jaggery (country sugar) allowed to rot for about 10-15 days. Many other natural substances

used for producing dyes are pomegranate skins, bark of mango tree, vinegar, slaked lime etc.

Bagru Red

This dye is achieved by combining a source material such as alizarin with alum, the results

ranging from pink to deep red.

Indigo Blue

The internationally famous Bagru Blue is obtained from the indigo bush found throughout

India.

SCREEN PRINTING

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Screen printing is a printing technique that uses a woven mesh to support an ink-

blocking stencil to receive a desired image. The attached stencil forms open areas of mesh

that transfer ink or other printable materials which can be pressed through the mesh as a

sharp-edged image onto a substrate. A fill blade or squeegee is moved across the screen

stencil, forcing or pumping ink into the mesh openings for transfer by capillary action during

the squeegee stroke. Basically, it is the process of using a stencil to apply ink onto a substrate,

whether it be t-shirts, posters, stickers, vinyl, wood, or other material.

Screen printing is also a stencil method of print making in which a design is imposed on a

screen of polyester or other fine mesh, with blank areas coated with an impermeable

substance. Ink is forced into the mesh openings by the fill blade or squeegee and onto the

printing surface during the squeegee stroke. It is also known as silkscreen, serigraphy,

and serigraph printing. One color is printed at a time, so several screens can be used to

produce a multicolored image or design.

Screen printing, sometimes referred to as silk screen printing or serigraphy, is a stencil

printing technique used in many different industrial production processes, where thick film

deposition is required. It is a low cost technology and is frequently used for printings in

advertising, for printing decors on dishes or textiles, for the printing on glass in automotive

industries, for decorative applications and for electronic devices.

The screen printing procedure, a stencil process, comprises the printing of a viscous paste

through a patterned fabric screen and is usually followed by a drying process. The method

can be applied to flat or cylindrical substrates. Depending on the substrate materials and the

requirements for the printed structures, a high temperature densification can also be

necessary.

Low temperature processes (T < 150C or UV-curing) to cure prints on organic substrates are

also well established for almost all kinds of materials.

Screen printing procedures in combination with high temperature processes (T > 500 C) are

most commonly used to obtain abrasion resistant and chemically durable decors e.g. in house

ware industry or to obtain functional prints in electronic and automotive industry. The printed

objects are glass, ceramic or metal substrates.

In electronic industries, the screen printing technology is used for the production of electronic

. For this application, different

pastes for the obtention of resistors, capacitors, conductors, isolators or solder glasses are

processed in successive steps: printing, drying and firing procedures. Additionally, pastes

containing metal pigments are used for the printing of conductive electronic and sensor

components, e.g. in solar cells, gas sensors and solid oxide fuel cells.

The densification temperature of the prints on glass substrates is usually lower than on metal

or ceramic ones. Therefore, special glass frit binders with low melting points have been

developed. Such pastes containing metal or color pigments are used e.g. for the printing of

heating wires or decors for automotive windows and architectural glazings.

Recent developments utilized the screen printing technology for the production of glass based

plasma discharge panels where fine structures of fluorescent pigments, conductors and

spacers have to be printed with high structure heights and high resolution.

THE SCREEN PRINTING PROCESS

The screen printing process utilizes a screen as the carrier of the to-be-printed pattern.

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The screen consists of the screen frame usually made of aluminum and the screen web

covered with a photosensitive emulsion layer. The screen webs made of silk, nylon,

polyesters or stainless steel, have usually mesh counts from 10 to 450 meshes per inch.

Screens with high mesh counts and small thread diameter are suitable for the printing of fine

structures. For example, a stainless steel web with 400 mesh per inch, a thread diameter of 18

ectronic application.

To transfer a given setting copy to the screen, the photosensitive emulsion layer on the screen

is exposed to UV light through a film containing the pattern.

Unexposed areas of the emulsion layer are dissolved, leaving the pattern as free spaces in the

screen.

The printing process is divided into two sections both shown in figures 1 and 2.

In the flood stroke (figure 1), the paste is spread on the fixed screen so that the openings in

the screen are filled with the paste. At this time, the screen does not get into contact with the

substrate. During the print stroke (figure2), the screen contacts the substrate while the

squeegee presses the paste through the screen openings and transfers it onto the substrate.

Squeegees are available in different shapes, such as U- or V-shapes, different hardness and

materials. Squeegees of polyurethane and hardness between 60 and 80 shore are commonly

used.

To obtain high quality printing results, parameters regarding the web material, the emulsion,

the printing procedure and the printing paste have to be optimized. This involves the web

tension and thickness, the mesh count, the emulsion thickness, the squeegee hardness, shape

and pressure, the printing velocity, the accuracy of the positioning and the paste parameters.

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GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES AND POLICIES FOR CLUSTER

Government Initiatives and Policies For SMES

With a contribution of 40% to the country's industrial output and 35% to direct exports, the

Small-Scale Industry (SSI) sector has achieved significant milestones for the industrial

development of India. Within the SSI sector, an important role is played by the numerous

clusters that have been in existence for decades and sometimes even for centuries. According

to a UNIDO survey of Indian SSI clusters undertaken in 1996 (later updated in 1998), there

are 350 SSI clusters. Also, there are approximately 2000 rural and artisan based clusters in

India. It is estimated that these clusters contribute 60% of the manufactured exports from

India. The SSI clusters in India are estimated to have a significantly high share in

employment generation.

Some Indian SSE clusters are so big that they account for 90 per cent of India's total

production output in selected products. As for example, the knitwear cluster of Ludhiana.

Almost the entire Gems and Jewellery exports are from the clusters of Surat and Mumbai.

Similarly, the clusters of Chennai, Agra and Kolkata are well known for leather and leather

products.

However, the majority of Indian clusters, especially in the handicrafts sector, are very small

with no more than hundred workers, so specialised that no other place in the world matches

their skills and the quality of their output. This is the case, for example, of the Paithani sarees

cluster in Maharashtra. However, onlv a tiny minority of such artisan clusters are globally

competitive.

The formidable challenges created for the SSE sector bv the liberalisation of the Indian

economy, as well as its closer integration within the global economy, have generated a great

deal of interest within India on novel approaches to SSE development. As a result, both

private and public sector institutions at the Central as well as the State levels are increasingly

undertaking cluster development initiatives.

BDS Cluster Initiatives

Business Development Services (BDS)

Business Development Services (BDS) are services provided by external business experts

(BDS providers) to an enterprise in various functional areas where the enterprise needs

improvement, enabling the enterprise to become more competitive and grow. Business

Development Services include training, consultancy and advisory services, marketing

assistance, information, technology development and transfer, and business linkage

promotion, etc.

The major areas where BDS is provided are:

Market access

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Training and technical assistance

Technology and product development

Input supply

Financing mechanisms

Infrastructure

Policy advocacy

Cluster Initiatives in India

There are several institutions in India that have undertaken cluster development initiatives

across various clusters in the country to meet the socio-economic objectives. The major

institutions involved with cluster development initiatives in India include the following:

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)

United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)

Development Commissioner (MSME)

State Bank of India (SBI)

National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD)

Textiles Committee

Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC)

Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)

National Institute for Small Industry Extension Training (NISIET) [ supported by

DC(MSME) ]

Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India

MSME Foundation (An EDI initiative with support of UNIDO)

Micro & Small Enterprises Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP)

Background

1 The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of

India (GoI) has adopted the cluster development approach as a key strategy for enhancing

the productivity and competitiveness as well as capacity building of Micro and Small

Enterprises (MSEs) and their collectives in the country. A cluster is a group of enterprises

located within an identifiable and as far as practicable, contiguous area and producing

same/similar products/services. The essential characteristics of enterprises in a cluster are (a)

Similarity or complementarily in the methods of production, quality control and testing,

energy consumption, pollution control, etc (b) Similar level of technology and marketing

strategies/practices (c) Channels for communication among the members of the cluster (d)

Common challenges and opportunities.

Dev Cluster

Development Programme (MSE-

-CDP for providing

developed sites for new enterprises and upgradation of existing industrial infrastructure. A

comprehensive MSE-CDP is being administered by the office of Development Commissioner

(MSME), the Ministry of MSME.

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3 These guidelines for the Micro and Small Enterprises - Cluster Development

Programme (MSE-CDP) are issued in supersession of the previous guidelines relating to

SICDP and IID schemes and encompass, inter-alia, the procedure and funding pattern for

admissible activities, namely:-

(i) Diagnostic Study Reports: To map the business processes in the cluster and propose

remedial measures, with a validated action plan.

(ii) Soft Interventions: Technical assistance, capacity building, exposure visits, market

development, trust building, etc for the cluster units.

(iii) Detailed Project Report: To prepare a technical feasible and financially viable project

report for setting up of a common facility center for cluster of

MSE units and/or infrastructure development project for new industrial estate/ area or for

upgradation of infrastructure in existing industrial estate/ area/ cluster.

Testing Facility, Design Centre, Production Centre, Effluent Treatment Plant, Training

Centre, R&D Centre, Raw Material Bank/Sales Depot, Product Display Centre, Information

Centre, any other need based facility.

(v) Infrastructure Development: Development of land, provision of water supply, drainage,

Power distribution, non- conventional sources of Energy for common captive use,

construction of roads, common facilities such as First Aid Centre, Canteen, other need based

infrastructural facilities in new industrial (multi- product) areas/estates or existing industrial

areas/estates/clusters.

The projects sanctioned under erstwhile SICDP (renamed MSE-CDP) and Integrated

Infrastructural Development (IID) schemes will also be eligible for financial support issued

under the scheme as per earlier approvals.

4 Objectives of the Scheme

i. To support the sustainability and growth of MSEs by addressing common issues such as

improvement of technology, skills and quality, market access, access to capital, etc.

ii. To build capacity of MSEs for common supportive action through formation of self help

groups, consortia, upgradation of associations, etc.

iii. To create/upgrade infrastructural facilities in the new/existing industrial areas/ clusters of

MSEs.

iv. To set up common facility centres (for testing, training centre, raw material depot, effluent

treatment, complementing production processes, etc).

5 Strategy and Approach: Given the diverse nature of the MSEs in terms of both geographical

location and sectoral composition, the MSE-CDP scheme aims at addressing the needs of the

industries, through well defined clusters and geographical areas. This will enable achieving

the economies of scale in terms of deployment of resources as well as focusing on the

specific needs of similar industries. The capacity building of associations, setting up of

special purpose vehicles (SPVs), consortia, etc. which are integral part of the scheme would

enable the MSEs to leverage their resources and also to have better access to public

resources, linkages to credit and enhance their marketing competitiveness.

6 Diagnostic Study: The first and foremost activity in the cluster development process is to

conduct a diagnostic study. The objective of conducting diagnostic study in a cluster is to

map all the business processes of the cluster units viz. manufacturing processes, technology,

marketing, quality control, testing, purchase, outsourcing, etc to find out its strengths,

weaknesses, threats and opportunities (SWOT), problems and impediments, suggestions and

a well-drawn action plan for enhancing competitiveness of the units of the cluster and to

position the cluster on a self sustaining trajectory of growth. Diagnostic Study Report (DSR)

is very important document and the study should be conducted with special attention. The

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Study should focus on enhanced competitiveness, technology improvement, adoption of best

manufacturing practices, marketing of products, employment generation, etc. There has to be

direct linkages between the problems highlighted in the report and the measures suggested for

improvement.

a. The DSR should preferably be prepared by the end users and other agencies should only

facilitate in preparation of reports. In case the

DSR is prepared by other expert agencies other than end users, these reports must be

thoroughly discussed with and vetted by the end users and concerned State Government.

Such agencies should have relevant expertise in cluster development.

b. Specific needs of the cluster regarding IPRs, Technology Upgradation, Information and

Communication Technologies (ICT), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), energy efficiency,

lean manufacturing, technology benchmarking (international/ national), market potential

assessment, skill up-gradation/ certification system, design development, comparative study

with other clusters, twining of clusters, need to improve safety, health, business literacy,

welfare of workforce by the enterprises and their common bodies, social upliftment, etc.

should be examined and included in the DSR.

c. GOI grant of maximum Rs 2.50 lakh will be provided for preparation of DSR for one

cluster. For the field organizations of the Ministry of MSME, this financial support will be Rs

1.00 lakh. The cost includes the expenses towards visits to cluster, compilation of data,

validation of action plan, hiring of consultant, special studies (if reqd), printing & stationery,

etc. 50% of the amount sanctioned will be released after the approval. Balance 50% will be

released only after acceptance of report. d. DSR for one cluster should be prepared within a

period of 3 months, unless extended with the approval of DC(MSME).7 Soft Interventions:

Soft activities under the programme would consist of activities which lead to creation of

general awareness, counseling, motivation and trust building, exposure visits, market

development including exports, participation in seminars, workshops and training

programmes on technology upgradation, etc. These interventions bring about general

attitudinal changes necessary to initiate improvement in the existing style of working of the

MSEs in the cluster. It is necessary to prepare a Diagnostic Study Report (DSR) including

validated action plan, performance indicators/milestones to evaluate the project, before

undertaking Soft Interventions. Activities are undertaken as per approved action plan

included in DSR.

a. The critical mass in a cluster for effectively realizing the demonstrative impact of soft

interventions should be maximum but not less than 25 units participating in the cluster

development activities. However, for difficult and backward regions and for special

entrepreneurs groups having a sizeable presence of Women/SC/ ST/Minorities, the critical

mass could be 20.

b. Maximum limit for project cost would be Rs 25.00 lakh per cluster. Indicative details of

activities are given in Annex 1. GoI grant for the soft interventions will be 75% of the

sanctioned amount of the project cost. For NE & Hill States, Clusters with more than 50% (a)

micro/ village (b) women owned (c) SC/ST units, the GoI grant will be 90%. The cost of

project will be moderated as per size/ turnover of the cluster.

c. The share of the cluster beneficiaries should be as high as possible but not less than 10 per

cent of the total cost of Soft Interventions. State Government/ other stakeholders contribution

will be considered as gap funding.

d. Funds will be released after getting commitment from the State Government/

Implementing Agencies that required share of the cost of interventions in the cluster is

contributed by the cluster actors and other institutions/stakeholders. Funds will be released in

two/three installments depending upon the implementation plan, requirements of funds.

e. The duration of soft interventions will be maximum 18 months, unless extended with the

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approval of Steering Committee.

THE UNIDO PROGRAMME

ntion there were neither truly specific government policies nor

national type of initiatives aiming at promoting cluster development. The State Bank of India

(SBI) and the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) have promoted initiatives

defined as cluster development programmes aiming at upgrading the competitiveness of

selected firms located in some clusters. The rationale of these initiatives was that by assisting

geographically concentrated firms working in the same sector the impact would be

maximized through demonstration effects. Nevertheless these initiatives still considered the

firms as individual entities and did not try to promote collective efficiency, which should be

the main purpose of a cluster intervention.

In December 1995 the De

(DSSI & ARI), Ministry of industry, set up an Expert Committee on Small Enterprises (also

known as the Abid Hussain Committee, from the name of his chairman, former member

Planning Commission). The Committee report,which was released in 1997, advocated cluster

development as the approach to be followed to promote SSI. The report stated: "Focus on

clusters is the centerpiece of the new approach in an increasing public private partnership in

setting up support systems for small scale enterprises. Such public-private partnership would

recommends that state governments identify the existing SSI clusters and then promote new

types of organisations which are joint ventures between the state governments or local

In 1996 UNIDO was requested by the DSSI, Ministry of Industry, to conduct a mapping of

SSI clusters, promote pilot projects in selected clusters and assist the Ministry to formulate a

national cluster development programme. With an initial contribution from the Italian

Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently joined by the Swiss Agency for Development and

Cooperation, UNIDO prepared a four year comprehensive programme (now extended to

seven years) for cluster development. The aim of the programme is to develop sustainable

Indian capabilities to promote SSI networking and cluster development by:

Assessing the competitiveness and organization of SSI clusters through diagnostic studies.

governments, Universities, etc.) in developing and implementing joint projects and a common

strategy to improve the cluster performance.

institutions/associations, etc.) to promote cluster development activities.

Promoting cluster benchmarking at the national and international level.

Networking with local and national SSI support institutions and association to ensure their

on plans.

Providing policy advice on SSI cluster development, including advice on reorienting the

services of SSI supportive Institutions/Associations towards cluster needs.

Assisting the Indian Government in organizing and implementing a sustainable national

cluster programme.

Documenting and disseminating the methodological experiences and gains made at the

cluster and national levels during the course of the programme.

Data on more than 100 clusters have been analyzed by UNIDO to prepare a first mapping of

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Indian clusters in order to appraise their geographical spread, sectoral distribution and

relevance to the economy. Moreover detailed diagnostic studies were conducted in ten

clusters, namely Tirupur (cotton knitwear), Pune (food-processing), Jaipur (textile-printing),

Ludhiana (knitwear), Phagwara (diesel engines), Surat (diamonds), Calcutta (fans), Chennai

(leather), Noida (electronics) and Batala (machine tools).

The objective of the diagnostic studies was to assess the structure of a sample of SSI clusters

in India, identify issues related to their development, and draw lessons on how to develop

pilot initiatives together with local firms that would deepen their mutual linkages and

improve their performance. Thus, unlike previous approaches, neither the ministry of industry

nor UNIDO would decide what services to provide or what initiatives to undertake; but rather

the main cluster actors would do so in collaboration with UNIDO and public agencies,based

on a joint understanding of local conditions and sectoral prospects.

A team of Indian consultants, who later became the UNIDO Focal Point of the programme,

conducted these studies through interviews with local firms,producers associations, public

sector agencies and research institutions. They mapped out existing business practices, inter-

firm relationships and the structure of production in each selected cluster. Their study

identified the nature and role of institutional support and market linkages available to SSI in

each cluster. It also outlined the main issues raised by firms regarding the problems and

opportunities they faced in their particular sector ( Tewari, 1997). Jaipur, Pune, Ludhiana and

Tirupur, were jointly selected by the Ministry of industry and UNIDO for pilot initiatives.

The UNIDO Focal Point is currently based in New Delhi and includes four economists and

two support staffs. This small group is responsible