§1What this business is
Dyed woollen or acrylic yarn is wound on bobbins and knitted into tube fabric on hand-operated circular knitting machines. The fabric is cut to muffler length, both ends are overlocked, fringes are attached by hand (often by women working part-time), and the mufflers are pressed and packed in boxes. They sell in winter, mostly in the hills and the north.
Capacity: 3,600 dozen mufflers a year, worth ₹15.12 L at ₹420 a dozen.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A small hosiery worker or self-help group in a cold region or near a hosiery market such as Ludhiana.
Who it is not for
Someone who needs income all year from one product.
Advantages
- Very small investment (₹3.99 L)
- Hand-operated machines; little power needed
- Part-time work for women at home (fringes)
- Cheap product that sells in large numbers
Drawbacks
- Sells in winter only
- Low price per piece
- Designs and colours change each season
- Competition from power-knitted and imported mufflers
Skills you need
- Circular knitting
- Overlocking and finishing
- Choosing colours and designs for the season
- Selling to winter-wear wholesalers
Why difficulty 1/5: Simple hand machines and a tiny investment; the hard part is seasonal selling.
§3Market
Who buys
- Men in cold and hilly areas
- Low-income buyers wanting cheap winter wear
How it sells
- Winter-wear wholesalers
- Hosiery shops and weekly markets
Good to know
- The profile calls the muffler a very cheap product within reach of the common man.
- Quality follows IS 2422:1963; the profile stresses yarn evenness, correct count and colour fastness.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Hand-operated circular knitting machine, 6½" dia, 240 needles, with designing wheels | 4 | ₹60,000 |
| Three-thread overlock machine with motor and stand | 1 | ₹5,000 |
| Sewing machine with stand and motor | 1 | ₹2,000 |
| Office furniture, cutting and pressing tables, wooden stands, electric press | 1 lot | ₹20,000 |
From: DC-MSME project profile — Woollen Mufflers Knitted (2003)
- Dyed acrylic yarn, 2/32s or 2/40s count380 kg a month at ₹160/kg = ₹60,800 (with wastage)
- Sewing thread, stickers, labels, polythene bags, boxes₹5,200 a month
From: DC-MSME project profile — Woollen Mufflers Knitted (2003)
Suppliers in Building Business Bazaar
Oswal Woollen Mills Ltd · Ludhiana →Sona Woollen Mills · Ludhiana →Vardhman Spinning and General Mills Ltd · Ludhiana →
In our raw material database
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST
- Trade licence from the local body
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CM YUVAUPActiveUp to ₹5 lakh, interest-free
A ₹3.99 L project: MUDRA (Kishore), PMEGP and UP's CM-YUVA all fit.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: DC-MSME profile: fixed capital ₹87,000 (4 hand-operated circular knitting machines ₹60,000, overlock machine ₹5,000, sewing machine ₹2,000, furniture, tables and electric press ₹20,000) + working capital for 3 months ₹3.12 L = ₹3.99 L. Building rented.
Working capital: Working capital for 3 months ₹3.12 L; monthly spend about ₹1.04 L, mostly dyed acrylic yarn (380 kg at ₹160/kg).
Prices from May 2003 — machinery, material and wage costs will be much higher now.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: AEPC
- Confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker before shipping.
- You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Short or warm winter cuts sales
- Unsold stock after the season
- Yarn price rise
- Cheaper machine-made competition
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working knitted woollen mufflers unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam registration, GST), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Knitted Woollen Mufflers?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.