Apparel Online India Magazine August 1st Issue 2018 | Page 49

DOMESTIC UPDATE
our focus is more on getting it right for
at least some people rather trying to
make everyone happy!”
A similar approach for selling small
but functional merchandise is adopted
by menswear label Greyy Basics that
calls itself an athleisure brand whose
competitor is not Nike or Puma but
rather the likes of HRX or Jockey.
Greyy’s Founder Anant Mundra
adds, “We want our users to come
home from work and wear our
products to relax. And relaxing could
mean anything to anyone, from hitting
the gym to simply watching Netflix
in your bedroom!” Their collection,
though very simple in appearance,
offers properties of UPF 50+ UV
protection and anti-odour technology,
and is made from Supima cotton.
Though Greyy hasn’t been in the
market for very long, the brand boasts
of selling to 21 states in India through
e-commerce and over 15 MBOs as well
as shipping to 1 6 countries abroad.
While there is a plethora of anti-odour
and quick drying products in market,
Bangalore-based Turmswear has
added the feather of stain-repellence
to its hat as well. Offering a range
of jeans, T-shirts and joggers that
come in a package of all performance
properties in the market, the brand
has crossed Rs. 30 million in sales.
Rohit Gupta, Co-Founder of Turms
reveals to Team Apparel Online that
they are planning to unveil 3-4 entirely
new technologies by end of this quarter
to the market which currently no other
brand is selling in India. Gupta adds,
“We are going to launch cool lint and
oil wicking concepts very soon. But the
most exciting thing we are working
aggressively on is energy recovery and
4X tech that combines all the anti-stain
and moisture concepts into one and
will be launched by as soon as end of
2018!”
Performancewear in the country is
at a nascent stage and there are now
several new players in the market
that sit somewhere between strict
sportswear and casual clothing.
Innovations in fabric are rife and the
use of fashion design as a problem
channel is truly coming to life.
THE FUTURE IS
FRAGMENTED
In order to survive in the competitive
market, these young labels have
become acutely aware of their
consumer demographic and the
ESSENTIALS
The technical
textiles market
has shown
tremendous
growth in the last
few years, thanks
to a growing
awareness about
the superior
functionality and
application of
these materials in
various sectors.
Greyy Basics’ modern athleisure
The market
(calculated by
material, process
and application)
was estimated at
US $ 165.51 bn
in 2017 and is
projected to hit
US $ 220.37 bn
by 2022, growing
at a CAGR of 5.89
per cent.
Demand for
both sports and
performancewear
in India will
continue to rise
as the customer
becomes more
mature.
Kica Active women’s workout clothing
biggest giveaway from e-commerce
has been the constant feedback and
review cycle that all of them hold
very dear to their brand’s growth. For
many, their highest bidders continue
to be their current customers. Athlos’
repeat shopper rate is 30% while for
Turms, it’s a good 20%, making up
as much as 60% of their entire sales.
This kind of customer retention and
call-back is in itself a testimony to
rise in demand for such clothing in
the market.
Additionally, the shopper in activewear
segment has also become much more
mature. She/he knows his/her needs
very well and even the general public
is now more aware of the concept.
For example, Shruti explains how
when she launched, it was a big task
explaining to friends and family why
Athlos exists. However now, Shruti
states with relief, “When I tell them
that this is a T-shirt used for running,
they immediately understand the
relevance as everyone is now exploring
outdoor and active lifestyle.”
Another shift is that earlier if a person
was involved in a certain physical
activity, she/he would stick to it.
Nowadays that concept is more or less
out since there is often a crossover, a
hiker can also be a cycler and vice-
versa. This is where people realize the
true value of performance activewear
and prefer clothing that helps them
get more out of their time.
Indian sportswear segment showcased
a staggering 23.7% CAGR from 2011-
2016 while the forecast for 2016-2021 is
set at 11.3%, according to Euromonitor.
And looking at the landscape, it is
clear that the future of this market
is not limited to branded giants.
Smaller labels are filling the gaps for
niche demands, working on localised
issues like sizing and have a much
quicker response rate to changing
consumer lifestyles.
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