Spotlight on Gender
Differences: Meet the differing needs
of Indian women and men with product
offerings and retail experiences suited to
their shopping habits.
APPAREL SPENDING
What They Shop: Provide the
quality, fit, and durability
consumers seek with high
cotton-rich traditional clothing
and menswear.
FINANCIAL
OUTLOOK
90% 56%
OPTIMISTIC
How They Shop: Get ahead of online
shopping trends by investing in mobile
platforms while reaching today’s Indian
shoppers in-store and via traditional
media.
PESSIMISTIC
India Global
1% 11%
India Global
*”Neither Optimistic/Pessimistic”
not shown
GLOBAL CONSUMER
INSIGHTS
GLOBAL LIFESTYLE MONITOR: INDIA
US
$338.9
+56% growth
CHINA
$277.2
+193% growth
EU
$374.5
+52% growth
INDIA
$87.9
¹
+148% growth
Indian consumers spent $87.9
billion on clothing in 2017,
representing 6% of all consumer
expenditures. Spending on
clothing is expected to keep
pace with projected growth in
the economy overall, for a total
148% increase in clothing
expenditures by 2030. Seize
opportunities in this market with
online investment and cotton-rich
traditional clothing and menswear.
Window
Shopping
26%
Brand & Retailer
Digital Resources
24%
APPAREL SHOPPING HABITS
Buying Clothes on Impulse
Traditional
Media
54%
HOW THEY SHOP
Indian consumers are interested in shopping online, but with just 27% of the population using the internet
regularly (weekly or more)¹, lack of internet access prevents widespread online shopping. However, it’s
projected that 90% of the population will own a smartphone in the next 10 years¹, indicating a strong
future demand in mobile shopping. Small, independent shops and traditional street markets are frequent
shopping destinations, along with hypermarkets and department stores. Reach Indian shoppers in-store
and via traditional media while growing mobile platforms to meet future online shopping demands.
74% 80% 84% 84%
clothing research pre-purchase questions purchase repeat purchase
in-store online
SHOPPING JOURNEY
RETAIL STORES SHOPPED FOR CLOTHING
INDEPENDENT 67%
66%
45%
31%
24%
DEPARTMENT
HYPERMARKET
STREET MARKET
ONLINE ONLY
SOURCES FOR CLOTHING IDEAS
15%
Shop online at
least once per month.
Other
People
87%
Store
Publications
28%
Social
Media
22%
Consumers who prefer shopping in-store (vs. online)
33%
2008
40%
2010
46%
2016
77%
2018
36%
2012
35%
2 014
78%
Relieve
Stress
INTIMATES
JEANS & PANTS
PAY MORE FOR BETTER QUALITY
2008
77%
2010
73%
2 012
81%
2014
82%
2016
72%
2018
90%
DressesTrad. Attire Underwear
812 6 5
Average Number Owned
BABYWEAR
91%
WHAT THEY SHOP
Fit, durability, quality, and finish are important clothing factors to Indian consumers, and nine in ten choose
cotton-rich fabrics for garments of all types. Dresses and traditional clothing such as saris comprise nearly
half (43%) of women’s wardrobes, while men own both dress and casual pants and shirts. Indian
consumers value quality in clothing, as nine in ten are willing to pay more for quality. Offer high quality,
cotton-rich traditional clothing and menswear with a superior fit.
TOP ITEMS OWNED
COTTON AS PREFERRED FIBER
PERFORMANCE APPAREL
T-shirts
PRIMARY PURCHASE DRIVERS
FIT 89%
COMFORT 88%
QUALITY 88%
FINISH 88%
Likely to Purchase
HOME TEXTILES
91%
78%
Regulate Body
Temperature
91%
prefer cotton or
cotton blends
for their
most-worn
clothing
90%
93%
SHIRTS
86%
Consumers would like to know prior to purchase
76%
Monitor
Perspiration
76%
Monitor
Blood Oxygen
78%
Manage
Mood/Emotions
Men and women shop for clothing quite differently in India. While nearly all (95%) Indian women enjoy
clothes shopping, they break from the global trend as they report shopping for clothes less often than their
male counterparts. As just 27% of Indian women work outside the home² – among the lowest worldwide -
men are more likely to buy Western clothing in specialty and chain stores, while women frequent
tailor-made shops for traditional clothing. Adapt retail experiences to women and men with offerings suited
to their differing clothing and shopping preferences.
GENDER DIFFERENCES
IN SHOPPING
SPOT
LIGHT
Source: Cotton Council International and Cotton Incorporated’s Global Lifestyle Monitor Survey, a biennial consumer research
study. In the 2018 survey approximately 10,000 consumers (i.e. 1,000 consumers in 10 countries) were surveyed.
External Source: ¹Euromonitor International, ²WorldBank.
SHOP FOR OTHERS
WHAT’S IN THE CLOSET?
Percentage of Total Wardrobe
29%
India
51%
Globally
42%
India
44%
Globally
SHOP MONTHLY OR MORE
64%
54%
Men
Women
RETAIL STORES SHOPPED FOR CLOTHING
Significant Percentage Differences by Gender
Women Men
Specialty
20%
32%
Chain
23%
30%
Online
Only
18 %
29%
Factory
Outlet
11 %
22%
Tailor
Made
28%
19 %
Traditional Clothing
Intimates
Dresses & Skirts
Shirts
Pants & Jeans
Activewear
WOMENMEN
37
%
21
%
17
%
12
%
11
%
7
%
43
%
31
%
11
%
10
%
5
%