Dating back to several centuries, India’s textile industry is one of the oldest and ever-growing industries in the Indian economy. This sector is highly varied, with hand-spun, hand-woven textiles at one end and capital-intensive sophisticated mills at the other.
The varied nature of the textile industry means that firms or organizations choose their respective path and direction to follow in operations. One such trend that seems to be a new direction for the textile market is environmental sustainability.
As the environment has become a significant issue in the textile market due to the massive use of water, the effects of air pollution, and waste management, many organizations have started focussing on green textiles.
Grasim Industries Limited is one such firm working with an intuitive zeal and emotional intelligence towards protecting the environment. It is adopting new methods of technological processing to ensure sustainable livelihood opportunities while also safeguarding the environment.
Under the outstanding leadership of Mr. Satyaki Ghosh, CEO, the organization focuses on sustainable textiles and the resurgence to equal the recovery post-COVID. With his 25 years of experience, they amplify online sales and enhance the adoption of digital platforms for customer collaboration.
Prologue Context
The textiles arm of Grasim Industries Ltd., famously called ‘Domestic Textiles,’ comprises various units Jaya Shree Textiles, Vikram Woollens, and Grasim Premium Fabric. It is further broken down into yarn, fabric, and apparel business with play in sustainable fibres, which is made up of wool, linen, and premium cotton.
Grasim Industries ventured into the textile sector in 1940 by setting up Jaya Shree Textiles at Rishra, West Bengal. Today, Jaya Shree Textiles is India’s leading linen and wool manufacturer. It has four strategic business units (SBUs) of linen yarn, linen fabric, apparel, and wool. It is the only integrated linen factory with state-of-the-art facilities equipped with the latest spinning, weaving, and finishing systems from Switzerland and Italy.
Today, Jaya Shree Textiles sells its products in over 50 countries, spanning six continents. They are India’s most significant, single-location manufacturing facility for worsted yarn and wool tops, India’s largest integrated linen factory with the latest spinning, weaving, and finishing systems, and the fourth largest linen yarn spinner globally.
In 1995, the company established Vikram Woollens at Malanpur, Madhya Pradesh. A prominent player in the worsted yarn segment, it offers a wide range of wool and wool blends such as wool and polyester, wool, polyester and lycra, wool land silk, wool and nylon, and specialty yarns such as 100% cashmere and cashmere blends.
In line with its business strategy to strengthen its presence in premium fabrics, Grasim Industries Limited entered the premium cotton fabrics business in 2019 by acquiring 100% equity shareholding of Soktas India Private Limited (SIPL), a world-renowned producer and marketer of premium cotton fabrics. Post-acquisition, SIPL has been renamed as Grasim Premium Fabric (GPF).
The Intelligentsia Leadership
Satyaki Ghosh has over 25 years of experience in FMCG, Retail, and Industrial businesses. He joined Aditya Birla Group in December’16. In his role as CEO – Domestic Textiles, he is responsible for the Textile Business of Aditya Birla Group, spanning across Vikram Woollens, Jaya Shree Textiles (under the brand ‘The Linen Club’), and Grasim Premium Fabric Pvt. Ltd (Soktas).
Before joining ABG at the end of 2016, he was on a Global role in L’Oréal S.A. based in Paris HQ. Before that, he was the Director of Consumer Products Division at L’Oréal India. In this role, he has steered the division towards spectacular successes in the Indian market as well as the export business in South Asian Countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.
He has also worked for some of the biggest names in FMCG, including General Electric, PepsiCo & Spencer’s Retail, and his experience cuts across Consumer & Retail Businesses in diverse geographies. His expertise and knowledge of the Advertising, Sales & Marketing field have made him an acknowledged thought leader in the industry. He is often invited to speak at crucial thought leadership forums on new media and digital marketing and is frequently quoted in media as an expert. He was on the CCC of ASCI and was a member of the Ad Club of Mumbai.
With his last stint in fashion and beauty, Mr. Ghosh has exposed himself to diverse industry experiences. As he developed an interest in this field, he expanded his horizon and ventured into textiles and apparel.
The Unique Selling Proposition
Domestic textiles’ USP lies in their choice of working with only sustainable fibres, including their latest acquisition of Soktas in the premium cotton segment. It offers the broadest range of product portfolio in Linen, Wool, and Cotton, arguably the most sustainable fibres. Its brands Linen Club, Soktas, and Giza House provide a much-revered environment-friendly collection. The company has innovated on sustainable fabric through its Wealth-Out-Of-Waste (WOW) program. It upcycles flax waste to create blended yarn and linen rich fabric blends and ready-to-wear apparel, which is marketed under the brand ‘Cavallo by Linen Club.’
The company is also committed to being socially responsible with a well-established sustainability framework encompassing Responsible Stewardship, Stakeholder Engagement, and Future Proofing.
Providing the most Benefits
Sustainable Sourcing: It is the powerhouse of natural materials, as the company is the source of the finest sustainable fibres. Its entire Linen range is made from fibres exclusively handpicked and sourced from France, Belgium, and other parts of Europe. In Wool, it sources one of the finest and most versatile fibres globally, called Merino Wool, from Australia.
State-of-the-art Machinery: With its state-of-the-art machinery and quality control system implemented at each step, it has firmly established itself as a leader in the manufacturing of Linen Yarn and Fabric, Wool, and Cotton Fabrics.
The Design Prowess: The USP behind its success lies in its emphasis on design. The collaborative efforts of storied linen-makers have inspired innovators and forward-thinking fashion experts to create the broadest range of yarns, fabrics, and apparel. It has a state of art Design Studio in their Rishra facility which brings together creative minds to weave magic.
The firm’s apparel brands finely blend classic styles and modern premium craftsmanship with unparalleled comfort. With the widest network of exclusive linen stores worldwide, Linen Club has led the linen market in India for 60+ years.
As a part of Aditya Birla Group, the company is focused on achieving its sustainability targets of reduction of CO2 emissions, reduction of water use intensity, and zero-liquid discharge. The European flax Council is also certified, Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), GOTS, OEKOTEX, ISO-9001.
Throw down the Gauntlet
Understanding the industry’s nitty-gritty and the intricacies that come with that was a challenge initially for the firm. The business involves complexities ranging from the production process being human-intensive, a global supply chain involving imports of raw materials to exports to different parts of the world, and a wide range of SKUs to balance the designs between regional, taste, and international tastes.
Today the main challenge for the company is to get back to normalcy post-COVID and stabilize the recovery. The pandemic wreaked havoc globally, affecting manufacturing as well as consumerism worldwide. Their challenge has been to navigate through the crisis, get the demand back, and revive lost customers traveling. Stabilizing revenue and margins remains a big challenge for the company in the post-COVID world.
Transforming the Industry
The boundary between formal and casual wear is getting blurred now as they coexist. The Wool business is also moving from woven to knitwear to accommodate movement from suits to jumpers and athleisure wear, from dry-wash to machine-washable wool.
Fast Fashion is moving towards sustainable fashion. New technologies like 3D and Artificial Intelligence are introduced. The turnaround times are getting reduced, with brands seeking shorter lead times. Globally, brands are diversifying their supply chain and looking at India intensely.
A Word of Advice
Mr. Ghosh voices that being passionate about the industry is the most important virtue. The industry is very dynamic; hence one should have the ability to deal with ambiguity. He exclaims that the change is the only constant in the industry, with the changing tastes, designs, colours, etc. Lastly, he believes that customer service must be the critical motto.
Roadmap to the Future
Currently, the firm stands the biggest in the domestic market in Linen. But it wants to become the leader on a global scale. DT is continually focused on innovations and reimagining our products in line with the changing times.
For example, in the case of wool, from conventional use of wool in suiting, it has shifted to Machine Washable wool which can be used in Athleisure, Sportswear, Shoes, etc., in line with the changing preferences.
Choosing ethical, eco-friendly methods and protecting natural resources are just a few things that the company has been doing for ages. To build a better, safer world for future generations, it has undertaken various initiatives and has set sustainability targets for itself to be achieved by 2025. Its sustainability targets are to achieve ‘zero harm’ by 2025 by eliminating any fatalities and unsafe conditions for employees, 35% reduction in carbon intensity with the help of solar power and various other energy-saving projects, and 40% reduction in water use intensity by 2025.
Grasim Industries Limited – Domestic Textiles
Innovating the World of Yarn
Dating back to several centuries, India’s textile industry is one of the oldest and ever-growing industries in the Indian economy. This sector is highly varied, with hand-spun, hand-woven textiles at one end and capital-intensive sophisticated mills at the other.
The varied nature of the textile industry means that firms or organizations choose their respective path and direction to follow in operations. One such trend that seems to be a new direction for the textile market is environmental sustainability.
As the environment has become a significant issue in the textile market due to the massive use of water, the effects of air pollution, and waste management, many organizations have started focussing on green textiles.
Grasim Industries Limited is one such firm working with an intuitive zeal and emotional intelligence towards protecting the environment. It is adopting new methods of technological processing to ensure sustainable livelihood opportunities while also safeguarding the environment.
Under the outstanding leadership of Mr. Satyaki Ghosh, CEO, the organization focuses on sustainable textiles and the resurgence to equal the recovery post-COVID. With his 25 years of experience, they amplify online sales and enhance the adoption of digital platforms for customer collaboration.
Prologue Context
The textiles arm of Grasim Industries Ltd., famously called ‘Domestic Textiles,’ comprises various units Jaya Shree Textiles, Vikram Woollens, and Grasim Premium Fabric. It is further broken down into yarn, fabric, and apparel business with play in sustainable fibres, which is made up of wool, linen, and premium cotton.
Grasim Industries ventured into the textile sector in 1940 by setting up Jaya Shree Textiles at Rishra, West Bengal. Today, Jaya Shree Textiles is India’s leading linen and wool manufacturer. It has four strategic business units (SBUs) of linen yarn, linen fabric, apparel, and wool. It is the only integrated linen factory with state-of-the-art facilities equipped with the latest spinning, weaving, and finishing systems from Switzerland and Italy.
Today, Jaya Shree Textiles sells its products in over 50 countries, spanning six continents. They are India’s most significant, single-location manufacturing facility for worsted yarn and wool tops, India’s largest integrated linen factory with the latest spinning, weaving, and finishing systems, and the fourth largest linen yarn spinner globally.
In 1995, the company established Vikram Woollens at Malanpur, Madhya Pradesh. A prominent player in the worsted yarn segment, it offers a wide range of wool and wool blends such as wool and polyester, wool, polyester and lycra, wool land silk, wool and nylon, and specialty yarns such as 100% cashmere and cashmere blends.
In line with its business strategy to strengthen its presence in premium fabrics, Grasim Industries Limited entered the premium cotton fabrics business in 2019 by acquiring 100% equity shareholding of Soktas India Private Limited (SIPL), a world-renowned producer and marketer of premium cotton fabrics. Post-acquisition, SIPL has been renamed as Grasim Premium Fabric (GPF).
The Intelligentsia Leadership
Satyaki Ghosh has over 25 years of experience in FMCG, Retail, and Industrial businesses. He joined Aditya Birla Group in December’16. In his role as CEO – Domestic Textiles, he is responsible for the Textile Business of Aditya Birla Group, spanning across Vikram Woollens, Jaya Shree Textiles (under the brand ‘The Linen Club’), and Grasim Premium Fabric Pvt. Ltd (Soktas).
Before joining ABG at the end of 2016, he was on a Global role in L’Oréal S.A. based in Paris HQ. Before that, he was the Director of Consumer Products Division at L’Oréal India. In this role, he has steered the division towards spectacular successes in the Indian market as well as the export business in South Asian Countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.
He has also worked for some of the biggest names in FMCG, including General Electric, PepsiCo & Spencer’s Retail, and his experience cuts across Consumer & Retail Businesses in diverse geographies. His expertise and knowledge of the Advertising, Sales & Marketing field have made him an acknowledged thought leader in the industry. He is often invited to speak at crucial thought leadership forums on new media and digital marketing and is frequently quoted in media as an expert. He was on the CCC of ASCI and was a member of the Ad Club of Mumbai.
With his last stint in fashion and beauty, Mr. Ghosh has exposed himself to diverse industry experiences. As he developed an interest in this field, he expanded his horizon and ventured into textiles and apparel.
The Unique Selling Proposition
Domestic textiles’ USP lies in their choice of working with only sustainable fibres, including their latest acquisition of Soktas in the premium cotton segment. It offers the broadest range of product portfolio in Linen, Wool, and Cotton, arguably the most sustainable fibres. Its brands Linen Club, Soktas, and Giza House provide a much-revered environment-friendly collection. The company has innovated on sustainable fabric through its Wealth-Out-Of-Waste (WOW) program. It upcycles flax waste to create blended yarn and linen rich fabric blends and ready-to-wear apparel, which is marketed under the brand ‘Cavallo by Linen Club.’
The company is also committed to being socially responsible with a well-established sustainability framework encompassing Responsible Stewardship, Stakeholder Engagement, and Future Proofing.
Providing the most Benefits
Sustainable Sourcing: It is the powerhouse of natural materials, as the company is the source of the finest sustainable fibres. Its entire Linen range is made from fibres exclusively handpicked and sourced from France, Belgium, and other parts of Europe. In Wool, it sources one of the finest and most versatile fibres globally, called Merino Wool, from Australia.
State-of-the-art Machinery: With its state-of-the-art machinery and quality control system implemented at each step, it has firmly established itself as a leader in the manufacturing of Linen Yarn and Fabric, Wool, and Cotton Fabrics.
The Design Prowess: The USP behind its success lies in its emphasis on design. The collaborative efforts of storied linen-makers have inspired innovators and forward-thinking fashion experts to create the broadest range of yarns, fabrics, and apparel. It has a state of art Design Studio in their Rishra facility which brings together creative minds to weave magic.
The firm’s apparel brands finely blend classic styles and modern premium craftsmanship with unparalleled comfort. With the widest network of exclusive linen stores worldwide, Linen Club has led the linen market in India for 60+ years.
As a part of Aditya Birla Group, the company is focused on achieving its sustainability targets of reduction of CO2 emissions, reduction of water use intensity, and zero-liquid discharge. The European flax Council is also certified, Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), GOTS, OEKOTEX, ISO-9001.
Throw down the Gauntlet
Understanding the industry’s nitty-gritty and the intricacies that come with that was a challenge initially for the firm. The business involves complexities ranging from the production process being human-intensive, a global supply chain involving imports of raw materials to exports to different parts of the world, and a wide range of SKUs to balance the designs between regional, taste, and international tastes.
Today the main challenge for the company is to get back to normalcy post-COVID and stabilize the recovery. The pandemic wreaked havoc globally, affecting manufacturing as well as consumerism worldwide. Their challenge has been to navigate through the crisis, get the demand back, and revive lost customers traveling. Stabilizing revenue and margins remains a big challenge for the company in the post-COVID world.
Transforming the Industry
The boundary between formal and casual wear is getting blurred now as they coexist. The Wool business is also moving from woven to knitwear to accommodate movement from suits to jumpers and athleisure wear, from dry-wash to machine-washable wool.
Fast Fashion is moving towards sustainable fashion. New technologies like 3D and Artificial Intelligence are introduced. The turnaround times are getting reduced, with brands seeking shorter lead times. Globally, brands are diversifying their supply chain and looking at India intensely.
A Word of Advice
Mr. Ghosh voices that being passionate about the industry is the most important virtue. The industry is very dynamic; hence one should have the ability to deal with ambiguity. He exclaims that the change is the only constant in the industry, with the changing tastes, designs, colours, etc. Lastly, he believes that customer service must be the critical motto.
Roadmap to the Future
Currently, the firm stands the biggest in the domestic market in Linen. But it wants to become the leader on a global scale. DT is continually focused on innovations and reimagining our products in line with the changing times.
For example, in the case of wool, from conventional use of wool in suiting, it has shifted to Machine Washable wool which can be used in Athleisure, Sportswear, Shoes, etc., in line with the changing preferences.
Choosing ethical, eco-friendly methods and protecting natural resources are just a few things that the company has been doing for ages. To build a better, safer world for future generations, it has undertaken various initiatives and has set sustainability targets for itself to be achieved by 2025. Its sustainability targets are to achieve ‘zero harm’ by 2025 by eliminating any fatalities and unsafe conditions for employees, 35% reduction in carbon intensity with the help of solar power and various other energy-saving projects, and 40% reduction in water use intensity by 2025.
