Tiruppur (also spelt Tirupur) is a city in the western part of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Tiruppur district and is widely known as one of India's foremost centres for cotton knitwear manufacturing and garment exports. The city lies on the banks of the Noyyal River, a tributary of the Kaveri, and forms part of the industrial belt that includes Coimbatore and Erode.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| District | Tiruppur |
| Region | Kongu Nadu |
| Civic body | Tiruppur City Municipal Corporation |
| Languages | Tamil (official) |
| River | Noyyal |
| Known for | Cotton knitwear and garment exports |
Tiruppur is situated in the Kongu Nadu region of western Tamil Nadu, on a relatively flat plain. The Noyyal River flows through the city, and the area's climate is generally hot and semi-arid, which historically suited cotton cultivation in the surrounding districts. Tiruppur lies along the Chennai–Coimbatore railway corridor and is connected by National Highway 544 (the Salem–Kochi corridor).
Tiruppur was historically a small market town in the Coimbatore region. Its growth accelerated from the mid-twentieth century with the establishment of small-scale cotton hosiery units, which gradually evolved into a large export-oriented knitwear cluster. In 2009, Tiruppur was carved out as a separate revenue district, with parts taken from the erstwhile Coimbatore and Erode districts. The Tiruppur Municipality was upgraded to a Municipal Corporation in 2008.
Tiruppur is often referred to as the "Knitwear Capital of India" or "Banian City" on account of the dominance of cotton knitwear and innerwear manufacturing in its industrial profile. The cluster comprises units engaged in spinning, knitting, dyeing, printing, embroidery, compacting, and garmenting, supplying both the domestic market and major international buyers.
Industry representation is led by the Tiruppur Exporters' Association (TEA). The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) and the textile ministry's broader policy framework also play a role in the cluster's external trade. Environmental concerns relating to effluent from dyeing units led to the establishment of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) and a court-mandated move toward zero liquid discharge in the dyeing sector.
The Tiruppur City Municipal Corporation administers urban services such as water supply, sanitation, roads, and street lighting within the city limits. The city falls under the Tiruppur Lok Sabha constituency for parliamentary elections and includes assembly constituencies such as Tiruppur North and Tiruppur South.
Tamil is the principal language of the city, and the population includes a substantial migrant workforce from other Tamil Nadu districts as well as from states such as Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, and Jharkhand, drawn by employment in the textile and garment industry. Local cultural life reflects the broader Kongu Tamil tradition, with temples, festivals such as Pongal, and Tamil cuisine featuring prominently.
The city and its surroundings host a number of engineering, arts, and textile-related colleges affiliated to Anna University and Bharathiar University. Vocational and skill-development institutions catering to the apparel and hosiery industry are also active in the cluster.
Tiruppur is significant for its role in India's apparel export economy, contributing a major share of the country's cotton knitwear exports. The cluster is frequently cited in studies of industrial agglomeration, small and medium enterprise development, and labour migration in India. Its experience with industrial pollution and subsequent regulatory action on the Noyyal River has also made it a reference point in Indian environmental jurisprudence.