Tirupur, the garment hub that makes exports worth Rs 26,000 crore annually, had a forgettable year in 2019. At least four world famous brands that sourced their products from the Tamil Nadu city either filed for bankruptcy in the US and Europe as demand slowed down due to competition from online channels and costs going up.

MotherCare, the baby and maternity clothes retailer that annually sourced garments worth Rs 100 crore from a single exporter in Tirupur, filed for bankruptcy in the UK and will close all its 79 shops in that country. It was the latest world-famous brand to pull down ...