Dr. Siddhartha Rajagopal
Executive Director The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL)
Kasturi Cotton is sustainable and fully traceable
The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL) is the implementation partner of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, and the Cotton Corporation of India for the Kasturi Cotton programme. Kasturi Cotton is the finest and cleanest Indian cotton that is now available. It is tested and certified across quality parameters. It has 100 per cent traceability with its own blockchain platform, and it is a confirmation of Indian origin. Speaking to Fibre2Fashion, Executive Director Dr. Siddhartha Rajagopal discusses the initiative, its benefits and the long-term vision.
Give us an overview of the Kasturi Cotton initiative? What are its main objectives and vision?
Cotton is grown by approximately 6 million Indian farmers, the majority of whom have small landholdings. Beyond the agricultural sector, 40 to 50 million individuals are employed in various facets of the Indian cotton industry ranging from trading to cotton processing to manufacturing of finished products.
Cotton also has major economic, environmental and social impact on a global scale. The growing demand for natural materials like cotton highlights the importance of reimagining the cotton supply chain. There are several challenges currently affecting supply and demand. Market dynamics are undergoing seismic shifts, and farmers and industry are most deeply affected by these changes. In the long term, regulatory efforts will impact the textile industry and the cotton supply chain. These efforts include supply chain legislation, sustainability, environmental impact and the circular economy.
In this rapidly changing scenario, consumers too are looking beyond, to making an improvement in their environmental and social footprint. They are getting more vocal in their choices. As consumers become more and more appreciative of the evidence of what is being claimed, brands that invest in more sustainable cotton that support farmer livelihoods will see more tangible demand.
How do you envision the Kasturi Cotton initiative impacting the Indian cotton industry, especially in terms of quality and global recognition?
Kasturi Cotton is a major step that has been taken in championing domestic cotton. It will create additional value across the textile value chain. It is expected that the Kasturi Cotton standards and specifications should significantly improve the quality of Indian cotton. In turn, the farmers are expected to get better value for their produce, thereby motivating them to adopt the best agricultural practices, resulting in higher yields and production. This should reduce the dependency on imports for high-quality cotton, over time.
What are the key quality benchmarks that Kasturi Cotton aims to achieve? How does it differ from other cotton types produced in India?
The key differentiators between Kasturi Cotton and regular Indian cotton are reduction in trash content, reduction in moisture and the bonus blockchain feature. Kasturi Cotton has trash content of 2 per cent or less as against the prevailing 3 to 3.5 per cent in regular cotton. This combined with moisture content of 8 per cent or less should deliver greater operational efficiencies, reduced wastage, better yarn realisation and superior product output. The end-to-end traceability is inbuilt into the system so that Kasturi Cotton will be compliant with evolving legislations with regard to global supply chains. It will enable Indian cotton that is certified as Kasturi Cotton to meet these regulatory requirements and continue to be attractive to the global textile industry.
The seven parameters that decide whether a particular lot of Indian Cotton is eligible for being certified as Kasturi Cotton are as follows:
What is the nomenclature used for Kasturi Cotton in terms of weight, packaging, length, and fibre strength? How do these specifications compare with international standards?
The packing and marking of Kasturi Cotton bales are as per IS 12171:2019 which outlines specific requirements to ensure that cotton bales are properly packaged and labelled for transportation, storage, and identification.
These standards ensure that Indian cotton bales are packed and marked in a manner that preserves the quality of the cotton, facilitates traceability, and meets international trade requirements.
How is the initiative engaging with cotton farmers across India? What support systems are being provided to ensure adherence to quality standards?
TEXPROCIL is working with various Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to create awareness of the Kasturi Cotton initiative and to educate them about the best practices covering farming, picking, storage and transportation of their produce so that it can meet the quality benchmarks of Kasturi Cotton. On-site workshop and off-site seminars are being held to reach out to the farming community. Literature relating to following good practices in farming with Do’s and Don’ts/ SOPs are being made available in vernacular languages.
What economic benefits do you foresee for the Indian cotton industry as a result of this initiative?
Kasturi Cotton should enable Indian cotton to upgrade its perception in the international market and improve its valuation by positioning it as a reliable cotton of consistent quality and a competitively priced product, both in domestic and global markets. This will have a positive cascading effect on the supply chain and the benefits of increased returns should benefit the value chain right down to the farmers. It will enable Indian cotton to continue to be a fibre of choice and it will also encourage Indian farmers to adopt modern practices that will enhance the yield of the Indian cotton sector.
How has been the response to this initiative both from domestic and international buyers?
The Kasturi Cotton branding initiative has been welcomed by the industry. Kasturi Cotton is in discussions with numerous domestic brands to come out with a range of finished products for Indian consumers to experience the benefits of cleaner, purer cotton. International brands and buying houses have also shown their interest in Kasturi Cotton.
How is TEXPROCIL involved in this initiative?
TEXPROCIL is the implementation partner of the Ministry of Textiles and the Cotton Corporation of India for the Kasturi Cotton programme. TEXPROCIL administers the programme including the operation of the blockchain portal, engagement with accredited partners for sampling, testing and certification, branding and promotion activities. From January 2024 till date nearly 50,000 bales have been certified as Kasturi Cotton.
How does TEXPROCIL plan to position Kasturi Cotton in the global market? What makes it competitive internationally?
TEXPROCIL is in discussions with international brands, buying houses and outsourced clothing manufacturers on a one-to-one basis. The brand is positioned on the platform of high-quality Indian cotton which comes with the assurance of regular supply that meets international benchmarks of quality. It is backed by robust end-to-end transparency of the value chain that establishes the chain of custody meeting evolving regulatory requirements.
What steps are being taken to build and enhance the brand recognition of Kasturi Cotton both domestically and internationally?
Kasturi Cotton has established channels of communication with domestic brands for the production of finished products that will be available in stores across the country soon. It is also in advanced stages of discussion with international buying houses and brands to persuade them to create a special line with Kasturi Cotton. The brand also participates in global textile trade events to build connections across the globe. Besides this, the brand is also building its visibility in media that the international fashion industry consumes. An intensive digital campaign along with an influencer campaign was undertaken to enhance brand recognition in the domestic market.
How has the Indian government supported the Kasturi Cotton initiative? Are there any specific policies or subsidies in place?
The government is main benefactor of the Indian cotton industry and not just the Kasturi Cotton initiative. It has funded the programme in equal measure along with the trade bodies and industry. It is also in the process of preparing suitable policies to further the initiative.
How are textile manufacturers benefiting from using Kasturi Cotton in their products? Are there any specific success stories?
Textile manufacturers have the advantages of numerous benefits from Kasturi Cotton. They get the assurance of quality Indian cotton that is third-party tested and certified. They also enjoy higher operational efficiencies and reduced wastage that come with using cleaner cotton. The authenticity of the cotton and its quality is assured. It is still early days to talk about success stories. Having said that, the journey towards creating a superior brand of Indian cotton has already commenced with around 50,000 bales being certified as Kasturi Cotton and the market has already begun buying these bales. The next phase of getting finished products has already commenced and we are hopeful of finished products made of Kasturi Cotton being available in the market in the forthcoming season.
What is the long-term vision for Kasturi Cotton? How do you see it evolving over the next decade?
Kasturi Cotton across all staple lengths will evolve as the brand of cotton that is preferred across the textile value chain in the next decade. The long-term vision of the brand is to position Indian cotton as a high-quality cotton that is sustainable and fully traceable.
Do you think the government should take steps so that domestic companies use more of Kasturi cotton to make products for exports, rather than exporting the raw material?
The Government is taking steps to ensure that more cotton is produced and processed as per best international practices so that there is more certified Kasturi Cotton that can meet the demand of both domestic and export requirements. We are aiming for Kasturi Cotton to be among the topmost choice of the textile industry.
Finally, what message would you like to convey to the stakeholders in the textile industry regarding the importance and potential of Kasturi Cotton?
Any branding exercise of national importance is essentially a trade and industry led initiative. The Indian cotton textile sector and trade bodies should join hands and discover the value proposition inherent in the Kasturi brand development programme. The coming together of all stakeholders will make the Kasturi Cotton brand a success.
Published on: 06/09/2024
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.
