Straight answers for buyers in India and around the world: which market sells what, timings, minimum orders, fabrics, prices, and how to import from Surat.
What Surat's textile trade is, how big it is, and how the markets work.
Surat is one of India's largest textile manufacturing and wholesale centres, best known for sarees, dress materials and man-made fabrics such as polyester and viscose. Weaving, dyeing, printing, embroidery and wholesale trading all happen in the same city.
Surat, in Gujarat, has traded cloth for centuries and was historically famous for silk and zari (metallic thread) work. Today its strength is man-made fibre (MMF) textiles: polyester, viscose and nylon yarn woven on powerlooms, then dyed, printed, embroidered and finished in the city's processing houses.
What makes Surat unusual is that the whole value chain sits in one place. Business Standard reported the city's synthetic textile hub at around 6.5 lakh powerlooms, 450 processing units, 50,000–60,000 embroidery machines and about 75,000 traders. Finished goods are sold through hundreds of wholesale market complexes along Ring Road and in newer hubs such as Saroli, and shipped to every Indian state and overseas.
Estimates range from about 185 to more than 220 wholesale textile markets, with tens of thousands of shops. There is no single official count, because new markets and extensions open regularly.
Figures depend on the source and the year. In 2020, the Federation of Surat Trade and Textile Associations (FOSTTA) put the number at about 65,000 textile shops in 185 markets, employing around 3.5 lakh workers (reported by PTI). Earlier industry reporting used a range of 150–200 wholesale markets, and recent directory counts exceed 220 as newer complexes in Saroli and Kadodara Road have opened.
Most markets are concentrated along Ring Road, around Sahara Darwaja and Kamela Darwaja, in Umarwada, and in the new textile parks of Saroli. Browse them all in the Surat textile market directory.
Among single complexes, Raghukul Textile Market (about 3,350 shops) and Millennium Textile Market (about 3,300 shops) are two of the largest, followed by Kohinoor Textile Market (about 2,500 shops). As an area, Ring Road is the biggest textile wholesale belt.
Shop counts reported by market committees and developers:
"Surat Textile Market" is also the name of one specific older market near Sahara Darwaja, which causes confusion online. When people say "the Surat textile market" they usually mean the whole Ring Road belt.
Most Surat wholesale textile markets open around 10 AM and close between 8 and 9 PM, Monday to Saturday. They are normally closed on Sunday.
Individual shops vary slightly, but the Ring Road routine is consistent: counters open from about 10 AM, the busiest hours are from late morning into the afternoon, and dispatch and parcel booking dominate the evening. Sunday is the weekly holiday across almost all markets.
Exceptions happen in peak season. Before Diwali, FOSTTA has in some years announced that markets would stay open on Sundays so goods could keep moving, as reported in late September 2026. If you are visiting on a specific date, confirm with the traders you plan to meet. Each market page in our directory shows its own hours where they have been verified.
No, Surat's wholesale textile markets are normally closed on Sunday. The main exception is the busy pre-Diwali period, when the traders' federation sometimes allows Sunday trading.
Sunday closure is the standard rule across Ring Road, Umarwada and Saroli markets. Plan sourcing trips for Monday to Saturday, and use Sunday for travel or for reviewing your shortlist.
In some years, FOSTTA (the Federation of Surat Trade and Textile Associations) has announced Sunday openings in the weeks before Diwali to cope with demand. These notices are temporary, so check recent local news or ask your suppliers before planning around them.
FOSTTA is the Federation of Surat Trade and Textile Associations, an umbrella body representing traders' associations across Surat's textile markets. It speaks for traders on issues such as taxes, market rules and trading days.
Surat's markets each have their own committees, and FOSTTA brings many of these associations together. It liaises with government bodies on matters like GST, labour and infrastructure, and issues trade-wide notices, for example on special trading days before Diwali. Exporters are represented separately by bodies such as the Surat Textile Exporters' Association.
For buyers, FOSTTA notices are a useful signal of market-wide changes, such as holidays, strikes or extended hours, that may affect your visit or delivery dates.
Surat's textile markets are mainly wholesale, selling in catalogue sets and bulk quantities to retailers, resellers and distributors. Some markets and shops also sell single pieces to retail customers.
The large Ring Road complexes are built for trade buyers. Prices are quoted per piece but apply when you buy a full catalogue set, usually 4–12 designs. That is why prices are close to manufacturer level.
Retail-friendly options exist. Some smaller markets, such as Rohit AC Textile Market, serve both wholesale and retail buyers, and some traders in Umarwada's New Bombay Market sell piece by piece. Old-city bazaars such as Chauta Bazaar cater mainly to retail shoppers.
Where the markets are, which area sells what, and how to choose the right market.
Most of Surat's textile markets are on and around Ring Road in the south-east of the city, between Delhi Gate and Udhna Darwaja, about 5 km from Surat railway station. Newer markets are in Umarwada and Saroli.
The main clusters are:
Most addresses in the core use PIN code 395002.
For sarees, the best-known markets include Surat Textile Market, JJ AC Textile Market, Millennium, Raghukul, Abhishek and Silk City on Ring Road. For party-wear and silk-look sarees, also visit Silk Plaza and Ashoka Tower.
Surat's local press groups these Ring Road markets as saree specialists: Surat Textile Market, JJ AC Textile Market, Millennium, Abhishek, Silk City and Raghukul.
A practical plan: spend one morning around Sahara Darwaja and one around Kamela Darwaja, comparing the same type of saree in at least three shops.
New Textile Market (NTM), Radha Krishna Textile Market and the Moti Begumwadi markets are best known for dress materials and salwar suits. Adarsh Market and Bombay Market in Umarwada are also popular for suits.
Surat traders and local press consistently name New Textile Market, Radha Krishna Textile Market and the Moti Begumwadi markets as the go-to places for ladies' suits and unstitched dress materials. Adarsh Market is also known for dress materials.
In east Surat, Bombay Market and New Bombay Market in Umarwada carry suits, dress materials, garments and chaniya cholis. When comparing, check the fabric and length of the top, bottom and dupatta separately.
For garment fabric by the metre or roll, start at the fabric dealers around Kohinoor House and the Sahara Darwaja markets, and at trading offices such as World Trade Center on Ring Road. Furnishing fabric is a speciality of Shree Mahalaxmi Market.
Many Ring Road markets sell finished goods, but fabric dealers cluster in certain buildings. Kohinoor House is known for garment fabrics. Trading towers such as World Trade Center near Udhna Darwaja house traders and agents dealing in bulk fabric. For curtain, sofa and home furnishing fabrics, Shree Mahalaxmi Market has been trading since 1991.
Always agree fibre content, weight (GSM), width and finish in writing when buying fabric.
Sahara Darwaja is a junction on Surat's Ring Road and one of the densest textile market areas in the city, with dozens of saree, suit and fabric markets within walking distance.
Named after one of the old city gates, Sahara Darwaja sits at the busiest end of the Ring Road textile belt. Markets and trading buildings around it include Surat Textile Market, Ashoka Tower, JJ AC Textile Market, Abhinandan and many more.
It is often spelled "Sahara Darwaza" or called "Sahara Gate". Traffic is heavy from late morning, so arrive early.
Kamela Darwaja is a Ring Road junction in Surat's textile belt, home to large markets such as Millennium and Raghukul and to the Anmol, Golawala and 451 Textile Market group.
Kamela Darwaja, also spelled Kamela Darwaza, covers the stretch of Ring Road around Kamela Road and the Moti Begumwadi and Salabatpura neighbourhoods. It contains some of the city's biggest complexes, including Millennium Textile Market and Raghukul Textile Market, along with Anmol, Golawala, 451 Textile Market and Silk Plaza.
Umarwada, just east of Sahara Darwaja on Puna–Kumbharia Road, is home to Bombay Market, New Bombay Market, Avadh, Globale and Hari Om textile markets, known for suits, dress materials, sarees and garments.
Umarwada is part of Surat's east textile corridor. Its anchor markets are Bombay Market and New Bombay Market; the latter, established in 2000 according to its committee, is known for selling piece to piece as well as in bulk. Nearby are Avadh, Globale and Hari Om markets.
Saroli and Kadodara Road form Surat's newer textile hub, with large planned textile parks and logistics parks offering more space, parking and truck access than the congested Ring Road markets.
As Ring Road filled up, developers built new complexes on the eastern edge of the city. Saroli now hosts markets such as International Fashion Market, Raghuvir Textile Business Park and Shree Kuberji Textile Park, while Kumbharia has logistics parks such as DMD Logistic Park.
Larger wholesalers favour these hubs for loading space and highway access. Many buyers visit both: Ring Road for variety, Saroli for larger suppliers.
A textile market has rows of display shops where buyers browse catalogues, while a trading tower is an office building where manufacturers, traders and commission agents work from upper-floor offices. Meetings in trading towers are usually booked in advance.
Ring Road has both. Shop-floor markets such as Millennium or Raghukul are ideal for browsing and comparing designs. Office buildings such as Ashoka Tower, Belgium Square and World Trade Center house manufacturers' offices, agents and trading houses.
A good approach: browse the markets in the morning, then meet manufacturers or agents in the trading towers in the afternoon with your shortlist in hand.
The products, fabrics and trade terms you will hear in every Surat market.
Art silk (artificial silk) is fabric woven from viscose, rayon or polyester yarn to look like silk. Art silk sarees are one of Surat's signature products because they give a silk-like sheen at a fraction of the price.
Pure silk comes from silkworms and is relatively expensive. Art silk recreates its lustre with man-made filament yarns, mostly viscose or polyester in Surat. It is used for festive, wedding and party-wear sarees, often with zari borders and embroidery.
Many trade names, such as "satin silk", "dola silk" or names referencing famous weaving regions, describe a look rather than a fibre. Always ask for the actual fibre composition, especially if you need to label products for export. See the real silk check below.
The quickest trade test is a burn test on a loose thread: real silk burns slowly, smells like burning hair and leaves soft, crushable ash, while polyester melts into a hard bead with a chemical smell. For high-value orders, use a laboratory test.
Ask the supplier for written fibre composition first; reputable traders will tell you. If you want to verify:
Accurate fibre content matters for customs duty (silk is HS 5007; synthetic filament fabric is HS 5407) and for labelling laws in most importing countries.
All three are lightweight fabrics, usually polyester in Surat's wholesale market. Georgette is slightly grainy with a bouncy drape, chiffon is sheer and very light, and crepe has a crinkled texture with a heavier fall.
These are among the most traded saree fabrics in Surat:
All three can be made in silk, but at wholesale prices they are typically polyester. Weight and yarn quality vary widely, so compare samples rather than names.
Zari is metallic thread, traditionally gold or silver coloured, woven or embroidered into sarees and fabrics to create borders and motifs. Surat has been a major centre of zari production for generations.
Historically, zari was made with real gold or silver wrapped around silk. Today most commercial zari uses metallised polyester or copper-based threads, which look rich at a much lower cost. Surat's old-city localities such as Gopipura and Saiyedpura are associated with the traditional zari trade.
When buying, check that zari threads lie flat, do not snag easily and keep their shine. Ask what type of zari is used, because it affects price and care.
A dress material set is usually unstitched fabric for a three-piece outfit: top (kameez) fabric, bottom fabric and a dupatta. The buyer or a tailor stitches it to size.
Sets vary by catalogue, so confirm each component before ordering:
Semi-stitched suits have the main panels partly stitched for quicker tailoring. Unstitched sets are among Surat's most exported products because they pack flat and fit every body type.
A catalogue is a set of designs, usually 4 to 12, in the same fabric, style and price band, launched together by a manufacturer. Wholesale prices apply when you buy the whole catalogue.
Surat manufacturers launch new catalogues constantly, each with a name or number and printed or digital photos. Retailers and online sellers buy full catalogues so they can offer variety, and they reuse the catalogue photos to sell.
Ask whether a catalogue is a fresh launch, a running design (reproduced regularly, so reorders are possible) or an older lot. Some traders will split a catalogue or sell singles at a higher price.
Grey (or greige) fabric is cloth straight off the loom, before it is bleached, dyed, printed or finished. Surat's weavers produce grey fabric, which processing houses then turn into finished fabric.
Grey fabric is the raw material of Surat's textile chain. It is traded in bulk between weavers, traders and processing houses in industrial areas such as Pandesara GIDC and Sachin GIDC. Manufacturers who want custom colours or prints often buy grey fabric and have it processed to order.
GSM is grams per square metre, a measure of fabric weight; width is how wide the roll is, commonly 44, 58 or 60 inches in Surat. Together they decide how much fabric you get for your money.
Two fabrics with the same name can differ in weight and width. A heavier GSM usually means a denser, more opaque fabric. A wider roll means more garments per metre. Compare quotes on price per square metre, not just per metre.
Always put composition, GSM, width and finish in writing, and measure the width of the sample yourself.
A lehenga choli is a three-piece outfit of a long flared skirt (lehenga), a fitted blouse (choli) and a dupatta, worn for weddings, festivals and Navratri. Millennium, Raghukul and Bombay Market are popular places to buy lehengas wholesale.
Surat produces lehengas from everyday festive styles to heavy bridal pieces. Check the flare, lining, can-can (stiffening layer), blouse fabric and whether the choli is stitched or unstitched.
Look for lehengas at Millennium, Raghukul, Rohit AC and the Umarwada markets, where chaniya cholis for Navratri are also common.
Minimum orders, catalogue sets, prices, payment, GST and dispatch inside India.
The usual minimum is one full catalogue set, typically 4 to 12 pieces of different designs. Some traders sell single pieces at a higher price, and custom manufacturing needs larger minimums per design.
MOQ depends on the seller:
New buyers can often negotiate a smaller first order to test the market. Ask clearly before you commit.
Wholesale saree prices in Surat range from the low hundreds of rupees per piece for printed daily-wear designs to several thousand rupees for heavy embroidered or bridal pieces. Fabric, work and quantity decide the price.
The main price drivers are:
Prices move with yarn costs and season. Compare the same type of saree across several shops before deciding. Market pages in our directory show typical price ranges where verified.
Buy full catalogue sets, compare at least three shops, and negotiate on volume and repeat orders rather than haggling hard on a single piece. Wholesale prices are already close to manufacturer level.
Practical tactics that work:
Yes. GST-registered traders in Surat issue GST invoices on wholesale purchases. Indian business buyers need the invoice to claim input tax credit, so always ask for one.
GST rates on textiles and garments have been revised several times, and can depend on the product type and price. Check the current rate for your product with your accountant or the trader before you price your goods.
For export orders, goods shipped out of India can be zero-rated for GST when the exporter follows the correct procedure, usually under a Letter of Undertaking (LUT). See importing from Surat.
Indian buyers usually pay by bank transfer or UPI. International buyers pay by SWIFT bank transfer, or a letter of credit for large orders. Surat's traditional credit periods are generally offered only to established buyers.
Domestic trade in Surat has long run partly on credit between known parties, often managed through agents. As a new buyer, expect to pay in advance, either fully or with a deposit, until trust is built.
Always pay against a written proforma invoice listing products, quantities, prices and delivery dates. Be cautious of requests to pay into personal accounts unconnected to the business name on the invoice.
Transport companies and courier agents operate all along Ring Road, and most traders can book dispatch to any Indian city the same day. Bulk goods go by truck or rail transport; smaller parcels by courier.
Ask your trader which transporter they use for your city; many have long-standing arrangements and will deliver goods to the transport office for you. You will receive a booking receipt (LR, lorry receipt) to track the consignment.
Delivery times depend on distance and season. Before Diwali and the wedding season, transport capacity gets tight, so book early. Check that goods are packed and labelled with your name, city and the number of parcels.
Verify the business before paying: check its GST number, market address and shop number, ask for a video call from the shop, start with a small order, and pay only to an account in the business's name.
Most Surat traders are genuine, but online sourcing attracts imposters. Warning signs include prices far below the market, pressure to pay the full amount urgently, refusal to share a GST number or shop address, and payment requests to personal accounts.
Safer habits: look up the market in our directory and confirm the shop number exists, ask for a live video walk-through, order a sample first, and keep all agreements in writing.
Importing from Surat to the UK, USA, Canada, the Gulf, Africa, Australia and beyond.
Shortlist suppliers, order samples by courier, agree price and terms in writing, pay by bank transfer, and ship by air courier for small orders or sea freight for larger ones. Make sure the exporter provides a commercial invoice with HS codes and a packing list.
A typical import process:
Buyers in the UK, USA, Canada, the UAE, Australia, Africa and Southeast Asia import from Surat this way every day.
Most polyester sarees and fabrics fall under HS 5407 (woven fabrics of synthetic filament yarn), viscose or rayon under HS 5408, and silk under HS 5007. Garments use different chapters, so confirm the exact code with your customs broker.
The HS code determines your import duty, so it must match the actual fibre content. A few guidelines:
Your exporter should print the code on the commercial invoice. Your country's customs authority or broker can confirm the exact sub-heading and duty rate.
Air courier typically reaches major destinations in a few working days. Sea freight usually takes several weeks door to door, depending on the destination port and customs clearance.
Plan for production time as well as transit. Catalogue stock can ship within days, while custom orders need production time first. Before Diwali, Eid and the wedding seasons, Surat's factories and transport are at full capacity, so add a buffer.
As a rule of thumb, overseas retailers who want festive stock on shelves for Diwali finalise orders six to eight weeks ahead.
Not always, but many overseas buyers start with one. A good Surat agent shortlists suppliers across many markets, checks quality, consolidates goods into one shipment and handles export paperwork, in exchange for a commission.
Agents are most useful when you buy from several suppliers, cannot visit in person, or need help with documents. Choose carefully:
Many agents work from buildings such as Belgium Square and World Trade Center.
Yes. Surat's markets are open to all trade buyers, and many overseas buyers visit every year. Most international visitors fly into Mumbai or Ahmedabad and travel on to Surat, and many nationalities can apply for an Indian business e-Visa online.
Check India's official e-Visa portal for current eligibility and requirements for your nationality. Traders deal in English, Hindi, Gujarati and Marwari; English is common among export-oriented businesses, and a local agent can help where it is not.
Plan three or four working days for a first trip, avoid Sundays, and read our trip planning advice.
At minimum: a commercial invoice with HS codes and fibre content, a packing list, and the air waybill or bill of lading. A certificate of origin may be needed for reduced duty under a trade agreement.
The exporter should hold an Import Export Code (IEC). If your supplier does not export directly, a Surat freight forwarder or sourcing agent can act as exporter and prepare documents. Keep copies of everything; customs authorities may ask for them after the goods arrive.
Where Surat fabric is made, and how to get your own designs or private label produced.
Weaving happens on powerlooms across areas such as Ved Road, Katargam, Limbayat and Udhna, while dyeing, printing and finishing happen in processing estates such as Pandesara GIDC and Sachin GIDC. The markets on Ring Road are where finished goods are sold.
Surat's production chain runs from yarn to loom to processing house to market:
Yes. Many Surat manufacturers develop custom designs, colours and packaging for buyers who meet a minimum quantity per design. Expect to pay for samples, then approve a strike-off or sample before bulk production.
The usual process: share a reference, agree the base fabric and target price, approve a print strike-off or embroidery sample, then confirm quantity, colourways and delivery date. Digital printing allows shorter runs and more colours; screen or rotary printing suits large volumes.
Office-based manufacturers in buildings such as Ashoka Tower are often set up for this kind of work. Keep an approved sample for every design to check bulk against.
Ready catalogue stock can ship within days. Custom production typically takes a few weeks, depending on fabric availability, printing or embroidery work and quantity, and takes longer before festival seasons.
Ask for a schedule with dates for fabric arrival, printing or embroidery, finishing and packing, and request photos at each stage. Add a buffer of one to two weeks for overseas orders, especially in the months before Diwali, when Surat's units are fully booked.
Getting there, timings, how many days to plan, and how to make a sourcing trip work.
Surat railway station, on the main Mumbai–Ahmedabad–Delhi line, is about 5 km from the Ring Road markets, roughly 15–25 minutes by auto-rickshaw or cab. Surat also has an airport, and most international visitors arrive via Mumbai or Ahmedabad.
From Mumbai or Ahmedabad, Surat is roughly four to five hours by train or road. Inside the city, auto-rickshaws and app-based cabs know all the major markets by name, and city buses run along Ring Road. Belgium Square, opposite the Linear Bus Stand, is one of the closest textile addresses to the station.
Hotels around Ring Road, Athwa and Adajan are convenient bases. Expect heavy traffic on Ring Road from late morning into the evening.
Three to four working days is ideal for a first trip: one day to understand prices, one or two days to visit the big markets and shortlist suppliers, and one day to check samples, confirm orders and arrange dispatch.
A sample plan:
Avoid Sundays, and photograph every catalogue with the shop's name board in the frame.
For the newest designs, visit in the weeks before Navratri, Diwali and the wedding season. For better prices and more attention from traders, visit in quieter months, roughly late spring to early summer.
Surat's busiest months are the run-up to the autumn festivals and the winter wedding season, when traders launch new catalogues. Choice is widest then, but markets are crowded, transport is stretched and there is less room to negotiate.
The monsoon brings heavy rain, which can slow movement around the city. If your goal is a long-term supplier relationship, a calmer month often works better.
Getting your shop listed and selling beyond the market.
Fill in the free "List Your Business" form with your business name, category, area, market, shop number, products and contact details. The BizTorq team reviews every listing, usually within 1–2 working days, before it goes live.
Listing is free for manufacturers, wholesalers, traders, exporters, retailers and job-work units. Approved shops appear on their market's page, where buyers can call or message them on WhatsApp.
The most effective route for wholesale traders is your own B2B website with set-wise pricing, minimum order quantities, catalogue sharing and WhatsApp ordering, supported by listings on directories and marketplaces.
Marketplaces bring traffic but take commissions and control your customer relationship. Your own wholesale website lets buyers browse catalogues, see prices by set, place repeat orders and pay online, while you keep the customer.
BizTorq builds wholesale eCommerce websites for Surat textile businesses. Get a free consultation.
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Ask on WhatsAppLast updated 6 October 2026. Figures are attributed to their sources; market timings and rules can change, so confirm with traders before you travel.
Browse every Surat market by area, with addresses, products, shops and buying tips.