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Fast fashion is changing the way people shop for clothes in small towns across India. Stores like Reliance Trends and Zudio are becoming very popular, offering a wide range of trendy clothes, shoes, bags, and makeup at affordable prices. Alka, a geriatric care worker in her late 50s, visited a Reliance Trends store in Sangli to find a pink kurta for her daughter. She was impressed by the store's air conditioning, trial rooms, and helpful staff. This was a big change from her usual shopping at street markets, where she looked for bargains.

These budget fashion stores are attracting customers by offering modern designs and branded clothes at prices similar to those found in local bazaars. Most items cost between $4 and $15, making them accessible to many people. Retail analyst Pankaj Kumar says that there is a growing desire among Indians to wear branded clothes. Zudio, in particular, has seen rapid growth, expanding from just seven stores in 2018 to 765 stores today, with revenues surpassing $1 billion. Westside, another brand, has also grown, but not as quickly as Zudio. The key to their success is selling affordable fashion to a large number of people in smaller towns.

Despite slow growth in jobs and wages, people are spending more on branded clothes. According to Kushal Bhatnagar from Redseer Strategy Consultants, consumers are not buying more clothes overall, but they are shifting their purchases from small shops to branded outlets. This shift is happening because budget brands are opening stores in many towns and bringing the latest styles quickly. Zudio, for example, changes its inventory every 15 days, which encourages customers to visit more often. This fast turnaround is important in the fashion industry.

Local mom-and-pop stores are struggling to compete with big brands and online shopping platforms like Meesho, which sells cheap goods across India and is growing rapidly. As people's incomes rise, branded goods and online shopping become more popular. India's apparel market is estimated to be between $70 billion and $100 billion, but people still spend less on clothes than in countries like China, the US, or Indonesia. The market should grow by 12-15% each year, but it has been growing at less than 10%.

There are concerns about the environmental impact of fast fashion. The textile industry is the third-largest contributor to dry waste in India, after plastics and paper. Only a small portion of used clothing is recycled. Some brands are trying to make their supply chains more sustainable, but large-scale change is still a long way off. For now, style and savings are more important to many small-town Indians, who are just starting to enjoy the benefits of fast fashion.