Can Green Innovations lead to Sustainable Development? A Case Study on the Knitwear Cluster of Tirupur, India

Environmentally sustainable industrial development is an essential precondition in today‟s globalized world. This can preserve the long term interests of the communities who depend on the industry as well as the societies whose livelihood are affected by the operations of the industry. This paper attempts to discuss the core aspects of sustainable development and green challenges with special reference to the SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) operating in the knitwear cluster of Tirupur, in south India. The cluster accounts for almost 40% of India‟s cotton knitwear exports contributing significantly to the foreign exchange earnings of the country. However, the insensitivity towards environmental degradation due to