LNJ Denim with a turnover of $1 billion (Rs 6,000 crores) has opened a first of its kind in the world denim boutique. The company has also launched a new brand called Blue Blanc for basic jeans and shirts.
Denim boutique, the unique concept
Located in Jaipur, the new denim boutique houses everything from ethnic wear for men and women to the latest outfits. The portfolio comprises of denim saris, denim burkhas, denim skirts, sherwanis, denim shirts, denim trousers, beach wear, tops, tunics, lungis for men, knitted denim apart from frocks, bermudas, hot pants, ties, shoes, caps, belts, purses, ghagra-cholis and even curtains, carpets, sofa covers among others. The denim garments are available in woven as well as in the knits. Meanwhile, LNJ Denim has also launched another brand called ‘Blue Blanc’ offering basic products like jeans, shirts etc, for both men and women in different colours.
LNJ produces fabric from 3.5 ounce to 15.5 ounce per sq yard. With more than 3,500 qualities of fabric, the company makes use of different types of fabric for different garments. It also undertakes the dyeing process apart from supplying the fabric.
Y C Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, LNJ Denims points out, jacquard denim, coated denim, printed denim, knitted denim, light weight denim is in trend. Elaborating on the trends, he says, “We follow international trends and also create trends. We are particular about quality. In Lycra, we depend on Invista for all stretch fabrics. For designer fabrics like jacquard we use the best possible looms. We have blends like cotton linen, cotton silk, cotton bamboo, cotton viscose, cotton soya fibre, cotton acrylic fibre, cotton modal, cotton wool. These are natural fibres.”
The company uses the best machines and raw materials. It has a superior configuration of machines and manufactures normal denim with sulphur dyes in colours however colours are good only for a time. “We give different colours like mélange, red, green, yellow, fawn, pink on the back side of the fabric. On the front we have indigo or indigo with sulphur black. We have real sulphur colours that can’t be very bright. Bright colours will come only from reactive dyes. Indigo and reactive dyes will fade gradually to give the denim effect. Reactive dyes will not fade in normal circumstances. If it fades it will lose its get-up and become dull. If you see the core of the yarn of the indigo it’s white inside.”
Following trends
The company keeps a watch on trends abroad and the new collections. It has developed cotton wool, cotton silk, cotton acetate, cotton acrylic. “We are strong in development of various blends of yarns and have developed cotton melange. You will find six or seven colours at the bottom of the fabric while the top is blue or black. China basically supplies open-ended yarn and dyed with local indigos. We make indigo yarn with rope dyeing. So there are no streaks or lines. It’s very uniform and it’s 100 per cent combed yarn. So we give better quality than what China does,” says Gupta.
Gupt says, “There is 35 per cent excess production in India right now. Most mills are reducing down 10 to 40 per cent of their capacity.” And he does not expect the situation to improve for another two years. The installed capacity in India is about 1,000 million mtr a year. Our consumption and export put together is less than 650 million metres. About 350 million mtr is excess capacity already being created.”
The company also makes denim out of denim. It purchases old denim and crushes them. There is a garmenting process, where it’s converted into fibre. The fibre is then converted into yarn with rich cotton. This way it makes denim out of denim.
Taking its commitment towards environment a step further, the company also makes denim out of recycled fibres. “We buy organic cotton and make organic yarn and denim out of that. That’s organic denim. Sustainable and organic denim, amount to a price difference of 5 to 10 per cent. We have developed a plasma fabric. It’s coated on only one side with indigo and the other side is grey. About 50 per cent water is saved and 10 per cent energy and 40 per cent effluents.” reiterates Gupta.
