RIL Ties Up With Myntra For Co-Branding Mast & Harbour Denim Collection with R|Elan

RIL Ties Up With Myntra For Co-Branding Mast & Harbour Denim Collection with R|Elan

Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) has partnered with the nation's largest fashion ecommerce player Myntra to co-brand its exclusive denim collection Mast & Harbour with R|Elan FeelFresh.

This special denim collection of Mast & Harbour is made from fabric using R|Elan FeelFresh technology that offers anti-microbial and anti-odour properties, as it is embedded with silver particles that inhibit bacterial growth.

The announcement of its partnership with Myntra was done at Hub Excellence Programme (HEP) held in Mumbai, today.

"R|Elan FeelFresh is one of our flagship products and we are seeing a lot of acceptance for this technology among the leading apparel manufacturers and brands. Myntra being one of the fastest growing fashion brands in the country, provide us a great platform to launch apparels made out of our innovative technologies. We hope to partner with them on our other performance products as well," said Gunjan Sharma, CMO - Polyester Business, RIL.

Recently, RIL has entered a partnership with VF Corporation, US, owner of the Wrangler brand and the largest denim player globally to co-brand the Inficool denim range, made from Kooltex fabric, for Spring Summer 2018 in its Asian markets, namely China, India, Japan and Thailand. This range aims to encourage young men and women to wear “cool and dry” performance denim during sultry summer months. R|Elan™ Kooltex is a performance fibre, capable of moisture management in apparel. It has found acceptance with the makers of Wrangler.

As per the partnership deal, R|Elan™ will get visibility in the form of hangtags on garments, as well as in AV being played at points of sale. On its part, RIL will ensure that superior-quality, high-performance R|Elan™ fabrics are supplied exclusively to VF for denim applications.

RIL has identified west India as one of the key focus area for R|Elan™ - Bhiwandi, Tarapur, Ichalkaranj, Malegaon, Navapur in Maharashtra and Surat, Ahmedabad, Vapi and Umbergaon in Gujarat are important centers.

RIL is targeting 50-60 mills who have the innovation inclination and manufacturing excellence to be the Hub Excellence Partners. These mills will form the robust supply chain to feed brand/retail’s fabrics demand. Currently, RIL is in the process of meeting 180-200 top brands/garmenters/exporters to showcase R|Elan product range.

RIL will forge partnerships with stalwarts of textile and apparel manufacturing companies in key textile centres in west India.

The R|Elan™ co-branding exercise will give RIL a foothold in the Rs 2,50,000 crore Indian apparel industry comprising almost a 50-50 share of menswear and womenswear.

R|Elan™ is an umbrella brand from the house of RIL, encompassing a range of new-age fabrics. It is a perfect blend of art and smart, with fabrics providing enhanced aesthetics, performance and comfort. Through R|Elan™, RIL aims to cater to all consumers across all apparel segments – active wear, denim, formal wear and womenswear.

As an industry leader and a pioneer, the polyester division of RIL is always looking at ways to come up with value-added, easy-care, and more comfortable fabrics for the common man.

Following extensive research and development, and using its expertise in fibre re-engineering, RIL has created R|Elan™ – a portfolio of specialty fabrics. R|Elan™ enhances performance attributes in all apparel segments, such as active wear, denim, formal wear, casual, and ethnic wear. These fabrics have been created with active participation of Hub Excellence Program (HEP) partners, spread across various textile centres of India.

Along with the recent launch of the R|Elan™ brand, RIL is also creating robust fibre-to-fabric value chain to ensure that these innovations match the commercial expectations of fashion brands.

After intensive primary and secondary research, the company has decided to focus on the following six key growth engines through the specialty R|Elan™ fabrics:

· R|Elan™ Kooltex – used in making active wear apparels

· R|Elan™ FreeFlow – used in manufacturing sarees and dress material

· R|Elan™ FreeFlow – used in western and ethnic wears

· R|Elan™ SuperSoft – used in shirting

· R|Elan™ GreenGold – made of greenest fibres in the world, manufactured by recycling used PET bottles, and used in trousers and denim

· R|Elan™ SuperBlack – used in suiting.

The R|Elan™ fabrics score over regular fabrics in a number of different ways, such as enhanced breathability, dry feel, and anti-odour. They come in vibrant colours, have excellent drape and hand feel, are among the most eco-friendly, and are easy care. All these properties are inherent and permanent, giving assured comfort and confidence to end consumers.

With increasing consumer demand for specific higher performance apparels, the opportunities for strong polyester adoption are on the rise. RIL is committed to provide one of the best solutions to the apparel manufacturers, keeping in mind the aspirations of end consumers.

In the total Rs 2,50,000 crore Indian apparel industry, active wear segment has a 10-15%, or Rs 2,500 crore market share. Ethnic wear and sarees, the largest apparel sub-segment, commands a Rs 60,000 crore share. The denim segment, currently worth Rs 20,000 crore, is expected to grow at 14% CAGR till 2020.

In order to satisfy the increasing consumer demand for higher functionality, RIL has undertaken a project to create awareness among apparel brands and retailers.

RIL has partnered with more than 25 textile players that are equipped to produce new-age fabrics using R|Elan™ technologies. RIL is providing the latest know-how, specifications and expert consultation support to these players to enhance and sustain the quality of textile. The pan-India network will reassure apparel brand owners and retailers about streamlined production, timelines and standard quality.

R|Elan™ products will provide consumers next generation fabrics which are in line with the latest fashion trends and fulfill lifestyle needs as well.