What is made in Bhiwandi
Bhiwandi is a powerloom town. Launching PowerTex India there in 2017, the Textiles Minister said Bhiwandi would be known for the resurgence of the powerloom sector. Nationally, the Ministry of Textiles says powerlooms produce nearly 58.4% of India's cloth and more than 60% of the fabric meant for export (PIB, 6 April 2022).
Weaving is decentralised. A trader or exporter often buys yarn, gives it to several loom sheds on job work, and collects the pieces for processing elsewhere. One order can therefore come from many sheds, with different looms and different weavers.
| Product | Source | Key inspection points |
|---|---|---|
| Textiles | DGFT Town of Export Excellence for textiles (Appendix 1B) | Weaving faults, width, GSM, ends and picks, piece length |
| Powerloom fabric | PIB, PowerTex India launch at Bhiwandi (1 April 2017) | 4-point grading, shade between pieces, marking |
| Ready-made garments | DC-MSME skill mapping for Thane district: ready-made garment cluster, Bhiwandi (undated draft) | Measurements, seams, shade, labels, packing |
What we check for Bhiwandi fabric and garments
| Product | Checks on the day |
|---|---|
| Greige fabric | Sampled pieces run over a lit frame and graded with the 4-point system; ends and picks per inch with a pick glass; width, GSM and piece length; stamping and marking |
| Finished and printed fabric | Shade side-centre-side and roll to roll against the lab dip, bow and skew, cuttable width, print faults |
| Polyester and viscose fabrics | Blend on the label against the order, width, weight, shade lots and finishing faults |
| Garments | Measurements, seams, shade between panels, trims, labels and carton audit |
Fibre content, shrinkage, colour fastness and tensile strength are lab results. We seal samples from the rolls we grade and send them through lab testing coordination. The yarn and fabric inspection page explains how sampling works for goods sold by length and weight.
Common defects in Bhiwandi fabric
| Defect | Where it shows up | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Holes, cuts or oil stains through the cloth | Loom and handling damage on greige pieces | Major (points per 4-point system) |
| Missing ends, reed marks, starting marks | Powerloom greige | Major or minor, by length |
| Picks per inch below the specification | Pieces from different sheds in one lot | Major |
| Width or GSM below the order | Greige and finished rolls | Major |
| Shade variation between rolls or within a roll | Dyed and printed fabric | Major |
| Short piece length against the label | Greige pieces and bales | Major |
| Slubs, thick and thin places | Yarn faults woven into the cloth | Minor |
| Wrong or missing piece marking | Bales consolidated from several sheds | Minor |
A garment made from these rolls inherits every fault; cutting tables in another city cannot fix a short-width or off-shade roll.
Timing and logistics
We have no inspector based in Maharashtra, so an inspector travels in and the travel cost is quoted before you book. Bhiwandi lies inland from Mumbai, so a Bhiwandi visit can often share a trip with a Mumbai inspection.
- Inspect where the lot is gathered: because pieces come from several sheds, the best place to inspect is the trader's or processor's warehouse once the whole lot is there and marked by piece.
- Before processing: grading greige before dyeing or printing costs less than rejecting finished fabric. Book a during-production inspection on greige if the processing is done elsewhere.
- Monsoon: from about June to September, damp bales risk mildew. We check moisture and storage on the day.
- Power and festivals: loom output drops during power cuts and around Diwali and Eid, which can push back ready dates.
How to book an inspection in Bhiwandi
Send the fabric or garment specification, the address where the lot is stored and the ready date through the booking form for Bhiwandi. Include construction (ends, picks, counts), width, GSM, piece length and the 4-point acceptance limit you use.
An inspection costs US$249 per man-day plus actual travel cost (Band C); see pricing. Within 24 hours we confirm the inspector, the notice we need, the number of man-days and the price. The report arrives within 24 hours of the inspection, with a verdict of Cleared to load, Hold or Not cleared.
Sources
Are you a quality inspector in Bhiwandi?
We work with vetted freelance inspectors near the factories we check. You take assignments in your own area, inspect to our checklist, and Clear To Load pays you, never the factory. Apply to inspect with us.