In 1920, the hosiery industry was born in Shahpur (Belagavi) thanks to the visionary efforts of Shanta Beerapa Belur. Inspired by an exhibition in Bombay (now Mumbai), Belur started with humble beginnings, producing socks. However, the needs of the military station presented an opportunity to expand the product line to include sweaters, vests, mufflers, and more.
The industry experienced a significant boost in 1952 when the government lifted restrictions on yarn distribution. This led to a surge in the number of hosiery units, from 48 in 1952 to 115 in 1954. The industry’s main products included vests, pullovers, slipovers, coats, blouses, swimming trunks, mufflers, and T-shirts.
Today, Kore Galli in Shahpur still boasts a few small-scale hosiery units, including Jalihal Knitwears, Shirol, Gomatesh Hosiery, KARNATAKA HOSIERY WORKS and others. While the charm of the earlier days may be missing, these units continue to supply bulk orders to larger vendors.
Source: Karnataka Gazette