Moving ahead from its existing B2B model, Ahmedabad-based Aura Herbal Textile Ltd. is now foraying into B2C retail segment as well with the opening of its exclusive showroom in the city. By unveiling the new showroom in Ahmedabad, the company announced the launch of its 'Aura Herbal' brand of organic herbal range of apparels and accessories.
Further, in next one year, the company expects to open another 5-6 exclusive showrooms across the country. Hence, while retail contributes zilch as of now, the organic herbal textile firm expects the same to rise to over five per cent.
"From being an industrial waste recycling firm, we had moved into herbal textile manufacturing and processing almost a decade ago. Our knowledge of the harmful chemicals disposed in reverse bores & river streams, ruining water used by hundreds of innocent families made us determined to produce something which can have positive impact to our environment and society. This passion gave birth to Aura wherein our major competitive strength is that we can naturally dye textiles on commercial scale," said Arun Baid, managing director of Aura Herbal Textile Ltd.
"However, we were supplying herbal textiles to global brands like Levi's and Esprit. While we will continue to do so, we have launched a B2C retail business as well through opening of our exclusive showroom," Baid added.
The showroom will house herbal dyed products like T-shirts, shirts, SPA products like face towels, hand towels, shower towels, bags, scarfs, fabrics, stoles, bill holders, undergarments and other such organic products.
Aimed at being eco-friendly, the products have been designed to be bio compostable, with the herbal colors used in the product ranges being therapeutic to eyes, mind and body.
Apart from venturing into retail, Aura Herbal is also planning to set up a herbal dyeing institute in Ahmedabad.
"We plan to offer short term courses on herbal dyeing and organic textiles to students as well as industry representatives," said Baid.
Post launch of the exclusive showroom, the company expects its Rs 4 crore annual turnover to rise to over Rs 15 crore by next financial year, said Baid.
Add to that, the company's retail venture will also allow Aura Herbal to increase utilisation of its 300,000 metres per month plant capacity from the current 50 per cent.
Meanwhile, through herbal textiles, the company is also trying to promote tribal art in the state of Gujarat.
"We want to connect our society with the art that we have rediscovered. And we are not the only ones to bring this experience to customers; we link them with the work of tribes as well as NGOs that support women, through our herbal textile products," said Sonal Baid, director of Aura Herbal Textile Ltd.
