Most of the Indian home furnishing exporters are offering a complete range of products to their buyers, and kitchen linen is one of the important product categories in their product profile. Apparel Online caught up with a few middle-level exporters to find out how the segment is moving in these slow market conditions.
Like most other products in the home segment, demand of kitchen linen too has been impacted in recent years, even as of now players in the segment are not enthusiastic of the business being generated. Exporters feel that one can no longer say that kitchen linen is a necessity, so its demand will not be impacted. More so, as the purchasing power, especially in Europe, is decreasing and people are reusing more and more of the same product rather than getting new ones. “Currently we have just a few orders in kitchen linen and the response from international shows too has not been very encouraging. Enquiries are not being materialized,” says Suresh Miglani, Partner, Tulip Furnishings, Panipat. The 14 years old company, doing nearly 50 per cent of its total business in kitchen linen and catering mainly with European stores, is now exploring creative ways to enhance the demand of the same, as kitchen linen is being used for gifting purpose also so its packaging really matters. “We offer a set of 32 pieces of kitchen linen products in tube packaging with cutlery, which serves as a full-purpose accessory set for the dining table. It helps in sales, and buyers do not pursue much for price, even though price is more an issue in case of orders of one particular product. It is an added advantage of packaging,” he adds.
“Karur too has felt an impact on its kitchen linen business. 100 per cent cotton is still the fabric that the buyers are looking at. Few buyers are asking only for value addition in kitchen linen products, while majority of the buyers are preferring basics.” As far as price is concerned, tea towels in normal fabric start from 75 to 80 cents and in jacquard fabric it is about US $ 1. Similarly, apron starts from US $ 2 and goes up to US $ 3.5.” – VR Saravanan, Managing Partner, Cotton Weaves, Karur
Exporters also say that irrespective of indifferent markets, there are some small buyers with few stores that are doing comparatively well. Vishnu Jangid of Jaipur-based Jai Shri Computers and Graphic, having specialization in products made by recycled denim, recycle canvas believes, “Kitchen linen demand keeps moving up and down, from 2011 to 2013 we had good market for the kitchen linen but now it is down, though the overall business is reasonably good as our permanent customers are giving regular orders.” He accepts that eco-friendly products really matters for buyers and gives them an advantage. The cost of such material is also less compared to others. The company exports its products to the US, UK, Spain and Japan.
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Within this product category, Indian exporters are missing the share as far as products with special finishes are concerned, waterproofing, stain resistant, PVC-coated, oil-resistant, laminated product, antibacterial microfibre are concepts yet relatively unknown by the Indian home product segment. However, not all agree to the generalization. Anoop Gupta, Proprietor, Etoile Creations, Delhi and catering to Europe, is doing 20 per cent of the total export of home products in kitchen linen and giving a counter view, says, “We can do all these specializations easily as we have enough flexibility in our facility, but first there should be a viable demand because as of now whatever is the demand, it is of routine products only, and not for specialized products.” Adding cost perspective on the same, Vineet Aggarwal, Partner, Ganpatiji Exports Creation, Noida says, “We, or some exporters like us who are doing value-added or even basic kitchen linen, are not as strong in this regard as China is, so we can’t expect orders in this category. Even in some cases where our buyers do ask for such products, we can’t match costing with Chinese suppliers. So it is better not to go with such products.” He also added that sale of table linen is continuously on a decline.
“As far as Karur is concerned, be it kitchen linen or any other product, we are struggling, and the main reason is the dyeing issue. Unfortunately, we don’t see any solution; so the home furnishing companies here do not have any future. Some of the exporters are now importing ready fabric and exporting too, while others are looking for diversification.” – Selladurai, Partner, Shyamali Export
Whereas product development or designs and fabrics are concerned in this segment, these products are mostly being offered as complete combinations in terms of fabric, colour with other home furnishing items, be it curtains, cushion or any such products. “It is like a part of the story as prints are dominating,” says Suresh who is enthusiastic to bring about better development, not only in designs, but in packaging also for a sourcing event in October. Cotton is as usual the most demanded fabric in this category.
