Digital campaign fades sheen of Tirupur poll merchandise sale

COIMABATORE: With just a little more than a week left for Tamil Nadu Assembly elections scheduled on April 23, Tirupur’s famed textile cluster is witnessing an unusual slowdown in the once-booming business of election paraphernalia, as manufacturers report a sharp drop in orders.

Industry players say the shift in campaign strategies, from large public rallies to digital outreach, has significantly dented demand for traditional election merchandise such as printed t-shirts, caps, and flags.

“Compared to previous elections, business has fallen by nearly 50 per cent. The political parties are focusing more on social media campaigning at present. The number of big conferences has reduced, and so have bulk orders for t-shirts,” said R Senthil Kennedy, the proprietor of SK Enterprises on Kangeyam Road, who has been in the trade for over 25 years.

While major political parties did place limited orders for generic campaign t-shirts, manufacturers noted the absence of candidate-specific merchandise. “Earlier, candidates would order t-shirts printed with their names for local campaigns. That trend is almost gone,” Kennedy explained.

Door-to-door canvassing, once marked by party workers clad in the party's apparel, is also declining. “Instead of t-shirts, party workers now prefer inexpensive party towels. They are cheaper and serve the purpose,” he said further.

The slump isn’t limited to apparel. K Mujeeb, who manufactures party caps at Noble Caps in Gandhi Nagar, said enquiries have not translated into actual orders. “This election season, we’ve sold barely 5,000 caps so far. In previous polls, the numbers were much higher,” he noted.

Flag manufacturers are also facing a similar predicament. R Maheshwaran of Tirupur Mani Prints in Karuvampalayam, a veteran with four decades of experience in the business, noted that large quantities of flags produced in anticipation of brisk sales are now lying unsold.

“Delays in alliance formation and candidate announcements have hit us hard. Candidates spend only after their nominations are confirmed,” Maheshwaran pointed out. He added that nearly 50 per cent of the flag stock remains stagnant, an unusual scenario so close to polling day.

However, there are a few bright spots. New political entrants have generated fresh demand. “We are receiving significant orders for actor Vijay’s TVK party since it’s new and lacks existing stock. There are also some orders from Sasikala’s AIPTMMK party,” he said, though time constraints have limited production in some cases.

Another growing challenge for Tirupur manufacturers is competition from cheaper suppliers in North India. Traders say buyers are increasingly opting for low-cost, lower-quality materials for one-time use rather than Tirupur’s higher-priced cotton products.

“Earlier, we used to stock plain T-shirts in bulk and quickly print party symbols based on demand. Now, only a few large manufacturers are seeing decent business; for most of us, it’s been disappointing,” Kennedy lamented.

Despite the current lull, manufacturers remain cautiously hopeful. With a few days still left for campaigning, they expect last-minute orders to provide some relief to an industry that once thrived during election seasons.