The South India Textile Research Association (SITRA) plans to establish a specialised laboratory in Coimbatore to test fabrics used in sportswear and athleisure garments. The initiative follows financial support announced by the Government of Tamil Nadu. The move is intended to strengthen India’s capabilities in testing high-performance apparel.

SITRA Director Prakash Vasudevan said the proposed lab, covering about 2,000 sq.ft., will be equipped with imported machinery to evaluate sports and athletic fabrics. At present, fewer than half a dozen manufacturers in India produce such garments, and only one laboratory in Mumbai carries out testing for these specialised fabrics. Because of this limitation, most domestic manufacturers depend on imported fabrics for sportswear and athleisure production.

Industry experts note that these engineered fabrics require strict and repeated testing for parameters such as stretch, moisture management, softness and durability. Since such garments involve complex engineering from fibre and yarn to finishing, testing is essential to ensure they meet performance standards, especially when imported fabrics are used for development.