Courtesy: Reliance Industries Limited
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has forayed into co-branded apparel business with the launch of R|Elan high-performance fabrics brand in Bengaluru today. RIL has created R|Elan following extensive R&D, and using its expertise in fibre re-engineering. These fabrics have been created with active participation of Hub Excellence Program (HEP) partners.
R|Elan – a portfolio of speciality fabrics, enhances performance attributes in all apparel segments, such as activewear, denim, formalwear, casual, and ethnicwear. These fabrics have been created with active participation of HEP partners, spread across various textilecentres of India.
As an umbrella brand from the house of RIL, R|Elan encompasses a range of new-age fabrics. It is a perfect blend of art and smart, with fabrics providing enhanced aesthetics, performance and comfort.
Along with the launch of the new brand, RIL is also creating robust fibre-to-fabric value chain to ensure that these innovations match the commercial expectations of fashion brands. Following intensive primary and secondary research, the company has decided to focus on six key growth engines through the specialty R|Elan fabrics: R|Elan Kooltex – for use in activewear; R|Elan FreeFlow – for use in saris and dress material; R|Elan FreeFlow – for use in western and ethnicwear; R|Elan SuperSoft – for use in shirting; R|Elan GreenGold – made of greenest fibres in the world, manufactured by recycling used PET bottles, and for use in trousers and denim; and R|Elan SuperBlack – for use in suiting.
R|Elan Kooltex, a performance fibre, capable of moisture management in apparel, has found acceptance with the makers of Wrangler. RIL has entered into a partnership with the VF Corporation, US, owner of the Wrangler brand and the largest denim player globally. VF will launch 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.
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.
The 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.
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.
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 fulfil lifestyle needs as well. If there is R|Elan on the outside, consumers can be sure that there is something very special inside,” RIL said in a press release. (RKS)
Source Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India