Fashion and lifestyle platform Myntra has launched its own handloom brand, Navibhu, with a view to tapping the niche but expanding customer interest in the India Handloom Brand promoted by the Ministry of Textiles to support weavers and promote the country’s traditional handloom industry.
Textiles Minister Smriti Irani unveiled the brand at Myntra’s 6th Annual Brand Summit -Tech Threads 2017. The Flipkart company will provide a platform for more than 250 styles of traditional handwoven saris, dupattas and other handloom products for its customers.
Speaking on the occasion, Irani said: “I wish Navibhu — a brand born with the richness of our culture and textile heritage — great success ahead.”
She underlined the rapid growth in sales of India Handloom Brand products on e-commerce platforms which have touched over ₹260 crore within two years. Over 900 production units have registered under India Handloom Brand, providing a sourcing base for new e-commerce players in the sector. She also expressed happiness that Myntra also agreed to bear 25 per cent of the cost of education of handloom weavers and their wards through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).
“ As a front-runner in the fashion industry, we are proud to be part of the government’s initiative to preserve andrejuvenate our traditional handloom art forms,” said Ananth Narayanan, CEO, Myntra and Jabong. “Our technology innovations, exclusive brand associations, omni-channel play, as well as initiatives such as the brand accelerator programme, have helped us maintain a steady growth rate of 50 per cent YoY and a leading market share of 40 per cent along with Jabong.”