T. S. K. Garments

At T. S. K. Garments, we operate out of No. 3 Rajammal Layout in the Poonthottom area of Gandhi Nagar. It’s a bit of a tucked-away spot, not right on the main drag, which actually suits us fine. The quiet atmosphere makes it easier to focus on the work. Several rooms here are filled with fabric and finished garments waiting to be sent out. Cardboard boxes and plastic bags take up a lot of space because something is always arriving or leaving. There isn't a fancy office to speak of. I usually sit at an old wooden desk that’s been scratched up over the years, doing the paperwork while the machines hum nearby. Our small group of workers usually eats lunch together in the back. Sometimes someone brings something home-cooked and everyone shares the meal. It feels more like a house than a factory most of the time. By five o’clock, there is usually lint in our hair and on our clothes. Afternoon light comes through the side windows and shows the dust motes dancing in the air. This isn't a glamorous job, but it’s the trade we know. Checking the seams and packing the bags carefully is just part of the routine. We’ve been at this long enough that the movements are all just muscle memory now. We just keep at it until the sun goes down and it’s time to lock up and head home to our families.