management team at Rasik Vatika
Amongst the topmost manufacturers and exporters of superior quality fashion fabrics in Surat, Rasik Vatika Group of Companies today offers complete solutions from fabric to garment. Traditionally, the company has focused on fabric for the past 45 years but with changing times and market demand, the company has started its own garment unit and is very upbeat of growth potential as an integrated unit. Talking exclusively to Team AO, Vaibhav Arora, Director, Rasik Vatika shares the company’s future plans and how Surat is emerging as a garmenting hub.
Catering to both, exports and domestic market, the company is a nominated supplier of fashion fabrics to almost every brand in India and also a few international ones. Bowing to growing pressure from their customers and in order to vertically integrate, the company has set up a garmenting unit six months ago to cater to the demand and be price-competitive. Currently, the unit is still in its first phase and the company plans to launch the second phase in March. With a setup of 77 machines, the company will be adding another 50 machines soon and plans to be running a 300-machine unit by this year end. “The unit will cater to high fashion rather than mass production. Moreover, we have limited machines and it is better to make high-value products rather than quantitative things,” reasons Vaibhav.
Concentrating on womenswear for both, exports and domestic market, the company majorly exports beach wears and evening gowns to Australia, Africa and few European markets. Further, the company has also launched two brands online, namely one for western wear called, ‘Braves and Babes’ and the other for high-fashion kurtis called ‘Aba’. “We are also planning to come up with retail stores six months down the line,” adds Vaibhav. To showcase its garments, the company will also participate in upcoming international tradeshows.
Owing its success to a well-equipped infrastructure that comprises of a highly developed R&D centre, state-of-the-art production unit and a quality analysing department, the company makes sure that matchless quality products are delivered. The company has invested in a huge team of designers from various National Institutes, to innovate in fabric and also make designs suitable for ethnic and western wear, the company has also introduced catalogues for the domestic market. Through its creative R&D team, the company brings innovation in fabric through new blends, varied constructions, unique yarns and also surface ornamentation. “Our core strength is product innovation so we prefer working with medium size exporters who generally make high-fashion garments as they can be benefited from the R&D we do, which segregate us from the rest of the market because the remaining market has the mindset of working with big names that give volumes, but not necessarily value,” informs Vaibhav.
Known for its impeccable quality, the company’s quality checks start from greige fabric. A team of experienced quality personnel help the company in meeting stringent quality checks at different stages of production. Further helping in maintaining quality is the old alliances that this 45 years old company has built for outsourced resources. “We don’t like our product going to a buyer and subsequently receiving a complaint about its quality. It is better that we invest in its quality. People who buy from us know that our products are of high quality and do not mind paying a few extra cents for a better quality,” asserts Vaibhav. To add more value, the company is set to launch dyeing and printing facilities for cotton and polyester by June or July 2015.
Surat is a very big manufacturer of fabric but the question most companies are asking is where to use that fabric now. They need to convert it into garments and get into the readymade sector.
Meanwhile, the Surat-based exporter and manufacturer believes that the garment industry is witnessing a shift, from older bases such as Delhi to newer pastures such as Surat. The past two years have witnessed about 25 companies setting up their garment unit in Surat, while this year will see around 100 more. “You will see the scenario changing, as people have stopped buying fabrics and converting it into garments. Surat is a very big manufacturer of fabric but the question most companies are asking is where to use that fabric now. They need to convert it into garments and get into the readymade sector,” argues Vaibhav. Today, Surat is giving direct competition to Delhi, particularly in womenswear. “Most of the fabric coming to Delhi is from Surat and with many of the traditional garment manufacturers moving into other businesses or coming up with retail chains, there is ample opportunity for Surat to grow in garmenting,” adds Vaibhav. A major challenge facing new garmenting units is of trained workforce and Rasik Vatika is leaving no stone unturned, investing in training its workforce and also training labour from nearby villages.
Being Surat-based and by creating a structure from fabric to garmenting, the company is focusing on consolidating its systems in order to complete its chain from manufacturing to retail. Despite fluctuating cotton and polyester prices, which is creating an environment of uncertainty for the garment manufacturers, the company has been seeing the markets improving with increased orders coming in for both fabric and garments. “Being an integrated setup is a huge advantage and though we are very new to garmenting, we are positive that it will add a fresh dimension to our business,” concludes Vaibhav.
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