Raymond, Aditya Birla, Reliance Retail plan khadi foray after Arvind

Branded entities sign orders, plan retail launch of designer apparel in the fabric

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After Arvind, other entities — Raymond, Aditya Birla Group, Reliance Retail — are contemplating a foray into khadi in the near future.

Aditya Birla Fashion Retail (ABFR) is learnt to have given an order for 4,500 metres of khadi to the Gondal-based Udyog Bharti weaver group. Raymond is in talks with around 80 khadi institutions to source the hand-woven fabric, even as it plans to launch khadi apparel in February through its retail stores. Reliance Retail is believed to be collecting samples from khadi makers for a possible foray.

“We are planning to launch a designer garment range of khadi as ‘Khadi by Raymond’ — trousers, jackets, ethnic ware. The entry of organised players in the business will surely change the consumer perception, as we better understand the fashion,” said Ram Bhatnagar, head of sales & distribution of the textile business at Raymond, which has a little over 1,000 retail outlets.

They will begin selling khadi garments from 100 stores by February, beginning with woollen khadi. Followed by silk, cotton and poly khadi during the year. “We are expecting about 10 per cent of our apparel business to come from khadi in the next two years after launch. We will also sell it in our overseas stores,” said Bhatnagar.

The organised players believe the supply of khadi is likely to be a concern, given the longer gestation period since the fabric is hand-woven. Therefore, they aim at ensuring sufficient supply before a formal launch.

To promote the fabric further, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has itself been tapping corporate tie-ups. It has signed an agreement with Raymond for designer khadi apparel's production and sale. Raymond will source khadi from KVIC-approved weavers and produce designer clothes. Both KVIC and Raymond will sell at their retail counters.

According to KVIC, the Aditya Birla Group had also approached them and a proposal was under consideration. An e-mailed query to ABFR and Reliance Retail remained unanswered.