Rajkumar Agarwal
Managing Director of SVG Fashions
SVG Fashions, a vertically and laterally integrated textile manufacturer, has been at the forefront of the industry since its inception in 1984. Established by Mr. Satyanarayan Agarwal, the company has grown to become a one-stop solution for all textile needs, from texturized yarns to stitched garments.
True to its vision of “fibre to fashion,” SVG Fashions has maintained a strong commitment to delivering high-quality products and services. With over four decades of experience, the company has a deep understanding of the industry and is well-equipped to meet the diverse needs of its clients.
In an exclusive interview with the TVC Media Team, Rajkumar Agarwal, Managing Director of SVG Fashions, shared his insights into the company’s journey and its future aspirations. With a passion for creating customised solutions, Agarwal has been instrumental in diversifying SVG’s product offerings, including the introduction of sportswear.
What’s the secret sauce of SVG becoming a market leader over the years?
Innovation at SVG is an everyday process. Every single day we produce close to 50 kgs of new samples. Let’s assume 5 kg per structure or per design, so every day 10 new designs are created & sent to our experience centre in Mumbai. When customers visit us here, we take their feedback and something or the other gets approved. Now even if the hit rate is 5% at the end of the month, you know how much you have. And that is good enough! It keeps us going. So, Innovation is our bread and butter. It’s not like we do innovation also. We do ONLY innovation.
What sets SVG apart in terms of providing customised solutions to clients? Why do you call yourself a solution provider?
We don’t sell commodities, or we don’t sell fabric, or we don’t sell garments. We sell Solutions. So, when you come to me, a customer comes to me. I ask them, what is the problem you are facing? Why have you come to me? There are so many others you would have gone to. So, he will tell me, okay, I am facing this problem, that problem, that problem. So, we understand his problems. And then if we can, we offer him the solutions that will truly solve his problem. So that is our approach.
I think what makes us unique is our approach. The end-to-end in-house facilities that we have, the understanding of the product, and our laser-sharp focus. These combine to offer tailored solutions. Basically, we are not trying to do everything. So there are so many fibres, you have polyester, you have nylon, you have viscose, you have cotton, you have modal, you have tensile. We do only polyester. Polyester and polyester spandex. We don’t try to do everything, but what we do, we do really well. And we do everything in that.
So if you need anything in polyester, 9 out of 10 times, I will say yes, we can do it and do it well. That is how we have been able to get brands like say Adidas, Reebok, Asics, and Skechers. These are in the sportswear category. And then there are other companies in the casual wear space like Zudio, Shoppers Stop etc, the domestic retailers, they source from us. So that is how we are able to cater to these very niche, very selective people.
Almost every international sportswear brand is sourcing from SVG, besides product what is it that brands look out for?
When you work with international brands like Adidas, Asics, Skechers, Reebok etc you really get a chance to learn a lot. One has to be agile, focused and honest when dealing with them as they look at us like partners, not vendors. It’s well known that polyester fabrics are not the easiest to make and there will be hits & misses in the development process. As a result of the vast experience and legacy that these brands bring, they understand the nuances and are patient enough to develop new products with us. I have done investments of several crores in machineries just because of the belief these brands have shown in us. They always push us to do more. In fact, they bring the best out of us! Today, we have an incredibly wide range of polyester fabrics for every end use, something you would not find even in the mills of China. We have been working with Adidas for 18 years now and I can proudly say that we would not have been SVG without their support. I think the key here is to look at it as a long-term partnership rather than a single transaction, and once that is done everything takes care of itself.
How do you see the next few years for the textile Industry in India?
India is shining, brighter than ever. When my son Yashovardhan joined us, he asked me “Why don’t we focus on exports?” His question was pertinent considering his management school perspective; however, I think any business must first capture the low-hanging fruits. In our case, we see a lot more opportunities arising every day in India. Every day a new brand comes up and customers are proudly buying Made in India products. So why shouldn’t we focus on that?
In fact, top global brands are entering the Indian market and looking at setting up a local supply chain. 6 years back, I set out a vision of handpicking 50 young brands and nurturing supply to them. Obviously, at the start, it didn’t feel like a big business and there were challenges of MOQ, however as time passed things have changed. Today we are working with almost every young recognised brand in the activewear category and it’s quite fascinating to see the variety of products we’ve made for them. There is a new wave of pro-users turning into founders. Being users themselves, these guys know exactly what the customer wants and it’s so exciting to work with them.
What are the latest trends that you are focusing on? What do you think will shape the next 5 years for the activewear industry?
So, I am looking at a couple of things:
- Developing a range of high spandex fabrics. Yoga pants are the most buzzing word today. Essentially these are made with super soft fabrics containing about 25% elastane. Almost all brands are importing this fabric from China/Taiwan due to a lack of sufficient & efficient options in India. We’ve recently imported new machinery & revamped our infrastructure to develop these fabrics. Our initial range will be on display in Yarnex Tirupur.
- The last season has been all about textured fabrics with self-designs. Despite having one of India’s largest jacquard capacities in circular knits, we’ve been unable to meet the demand. While trends come and go, I think the fundamental requirement of jacquards stems from the user’s need for elegant minimalism & that need is here to stay.
- Warp Knits are picking up in the activewear category. From basic tricot fabrics for T-shirts to pioneering it in trousers. Brands like Lululemon have developed a great range of warp knit fabrics and now we’re seeing Indian homegrown brands come up with similar requirements.
- Polyester that looks & feels like cotton is increasingly being used. Seems like everyone wants the performance of polyester with the feel of cotton. This is very much possible. We recently developed a cotton look collection by using a combination of yarns and finishing techniques and the response has been overwhelming, to say the least.
