The Pioneer Fashion

If you look for No. 4/128 Govindaraj Compound on Palladam Road, you will find us. The Pioneer Fashion is tucked away inside the compound, so it’s a bit quieter than being right on the main road. Palladam Road is always full of lorries and bikes, so it’s nice to be a little bit set back from all that dust and noise. We focus on making clothes, mostly shirts and basic wear. There are about six of us working here. We have our sewing machines lined up against the windows to get as much natural light as possible. The compound has a few other small businesses, so we often share a pot of tea in the afternoons. I started this place because I wanted to work for myself instead of in one of the big mills. It’s been a lot of long hours and some stressful weeks when a machine breaks down, but we get by. We don't have a showroom. Customers usually come to the compound and walk straight into the workspace. It’s a bit messy with fabric scraps and pattern papers everywhere, but it’s a real workshop. My wife handles the accounts in the evenings after she finishes her work. We’ve been in this specific compound for nearly ten years. We don't plan on moving anywhere else anytime soon because the location works well for us and the rent is fair.