Decoding the Opportunities and Challenges for Women Entrepreneurs in Textile and Fashion Landscape

Entrepreneurial development today has assumed special significance, since it is a key factor to economic development. Entrepreneurial development is necessary for the goals of industrial development, regional growth, and employment creation. Women are trying their level best to attain a qualitative opportunities in various ways which are different over time and among societies. Women entrepreneurship enables to pool the limited capital resources and skills available to women. It opens the door for greater capital use and also unleashes the potential of women. Entrepreneurship is suitable for women and it is possible to do work when she has free time. Self-employed women have no restrictions and time-bound work which makes it easy for them to manage the responsibilities of work, home, and child at the same time.

The changing fashion and trends in the textile sector give women a big opportunity to explore the business world of textile. Indian women are today more achievement-focused, monetarily independent, and career-minded. A wide range of small and medium firms and various subsidies and schemes of the government is also a motivational factor for the women to satisfy their inner desire and passion in this field.

The paper throws light on the major prospects and challenges encountered by women entrepreneurs in textile and fashion industry. Data was collected from female entrepreneurs hailing from districts of Tamil Nadu who are engaged in manufacturing or trading business in spinning, weaving, knitting, garment manufacturing, fashion designing and other business activities related to textile and fashion industry.