Shedding China baggage, India's luggage brands unpack manufacturing at home

A quiet supply-chain reset is underway as travel habits change and indigenous brands gain support

For decades, China has dominated the global luggage and bag manufacturing industry. In India, however, the category is now undergoing a quiet shift. Home-grown players are beginning to challenge this long-held dominance, driven by the made-in-India push, rising investor interest, aggressive expansion plans, and growing global ambitions. 

Sudip Ghose, founder and managing director of Uppercase, said that domestic production has become central to the company’s identity. “Even today, nearly 90 per cent of global luggage manufacturing happens in China. I have always believed there is no reason luggage — unlike high-tech electronics — cannot be made in India,” Ghose said. 

Uppercase manufactures the bulk of its products in-house at plants in Rudrapur (Uttarakhand) and Nashik (Maharashtra), producing suitcases and trolleys, backpacks, and business bags. 

The Jasprit Bumrah-backed brand has built a capacity of about  100,000 units units a month, enough to support growth for the next three years. About 85 per cent of its production is controlled internally, with the remainder sourced from Indian third-party factories. 

Among other brands leaning heavily into Made in India is Mumbai-based premium luggage startup EUME. Cofounder Naina Parekh said the company views Made in India as a core brand ideology. EUME is systematically shifting its key product lines, especially aluminium and hard luggage, to India-based sourcing and assembly from China. “The move is led  by tighter quality control, faster innovation cycles, and reduced dependence on overseas supply chains.” 

EUME has an annual manufacturing capacity of 400,000 units across its vendor and partner ecosystem, which it plans to scale to over 700,000 units in the next two years. 

Miraggio represents a hybrid phase. Founder Mohit Jain said the company currently imports all its products but has begun building manufacturing partnerships in India. “We are working with large partners across multiple cities to set up dedicated capacity for us,” Jain said. 

According to a September report by Motilal Oswal, India’s luggage industry is projected to reach ₹26,700 crore by 2028, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 12 per cent between 2023 and 2028. 

Travel in India has shifted from being an occasional activity to a regular lifestyle choice, driving demand for higher-quality, longer-lasting luggage. Consu­mers are willing to back Indian brands, provided they match global standards on design and performance. 

According to Archana Jahagirdar, founder and managing partner of Rukam Capital — a venture capital firm backing Assembly — this marks a shift in the category. “Functionality is no longer the sole driver of demand. Elements that reflect consumer individuality, design sensibilities, and ease of use are shaping purchase decisions,” Jahagirdar said. 

According to Rukam Capital’s Aspirations of New India report, about 60 per cent of consumers prefer buying from home-grown or small brands, while 14 per cent are willing to pay a premium for them. “Manufacturing capabilities have improved, and the Make in India push has given brands the confidence to invest in quality, design, and innovation,” Jahagirdar added. 

Gurugram-headquartered Assembly, founded by Mohit Garg, operates a fully integrated manufacturing model from facilities near Bahadurgarh in Haryana. Producing up to 40,000 hard luggage pieces and 15,000 backpacks a month — with plans to take backpack capacity to 20,000 units over the next 24 months — the company sells primarily in India, with limited exports to the United Arab Emirates via Amazon. Garg said the strategy is to maintain tight control over design and production to serve value-conscious consumers. The company plans to clock monthly revenues of ₹10–12 crore over the next five years. 

EUME, which has raised ₹35 crore so far from investors such as Prithviraj Kothari and Pradeep Rathod, is targeting annual revenues of over ₹250 crore by FY29 and aims for an 8-10 per cent share of the premium luggage segment by 2029-30.  Exports are expected to contribute 15-20 per cent of revenues by the end of the decade, with India remaining the primary growth engine. The brand plans to expand its offline presence to over 30 exclusive outlets by FY29, alongside a strong footprint in airports and premium malls. 

Uppercase sells through over 2,000 retailers, three exclusive stores, and major online channels. The brand currently holds a 2-3 per cent market share and aims to reach 10 per cent over the next five to seven years.

 

Having raised a total of ₹150 crore (about $19 million) so far — including a $9 million Series B round from Accel in 2024 — the company plans another fundraising round of $8–10 million to support machinery purchases, brand building in Europe and parts of Asia, and further domestic expansion.

 

In handbags, Zouk has positioned itself as a proudly Indian brand, both in design philosophy and manufacturing. Founder Pradeep Krishnakumar said, “All Zouk products are made in India, working closely with vendor partners and over 2,000 artisans across clusters.” The brand has grown over the past three years and is expanding its offline footprint, with 23 exclusive brand outlets already operational. While exports currently form a small share of revenue, Zouk is exploring global markets such as West Asia, Europe, and parts of Asia. The company has raised over $14 million and is targeting an initial public offering by FY29.

 

Haryana-based Miraggio, a handbag manufacturer, has raised $6.5 million (about ₹55 crore) from RPSG Capital Ventures and Client Associates. It currently clocks over ₹150 crore in annual run-rate revenue and is targeting ₹400–500 crore by FY29. Offline expansion into experiential retail stores across India’s top 10–15 cities is a key focus over the next two to three years.

 

Notice Me, a design-forward maker of totes and clutches manufactured entirely in Noida, relies on hand-beaded techniques and small-batch production, supporting a flexible network of artisans. Founded in 2025, the brand has already entered international department stores in Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Europe. The company expects to cross ₹1 crore in revenue in its first year, driven by export orders and repeat demand.

 

Taken together, these brands represent a sector in transition. As Jahagirdar observes, “The opportunity today is not just to build Indian brands for India, but Indian brands with global ambition.”