With four production facilities spread in and around Bangalore, Aquarelle India offers products in 100% cotton, pure linens and blends, and viscose blends, along with recycled, organic, and BCI products on sustainability lines, along with traceability details as to its raw-material source. According to its sustainability division head, Ravi Patil, "On sustainability, we are on par with the customers, and are also aligned with them as well as with the CIEL target. So sustainability is our key DNA."
As concerns over climate action pile up, calls for businesses in the fashion industry, one of the major polluters, to do more continue to grow louder. According to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the industry is the second-biggest consumer of water and is responsible for about 10% of global carbon emissions – more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. However, many have responded by adopting an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) framework to assess their business practices and performance.
Among them is CIEL Textile-owned Aquarelle India. Its ESG initiatives are worth noting. CIEL Textile is a subsidiary of CIEL Group. The group's textile activity is spread across three segments namely Aquarelle Group (woven shirts), Floral Knitwear (woolen sweaters), and Tropic Knits (fine knits). The company is the manufacturer of high-end casual shirts for men’s major brands like Levi’s, Jack & Jones, Lee, Wrangler, etc. Per annum, we do 65 lacs production for the major brands, it claims, which is 80% exports and 20% domestic consumption. Spread across India, Bangladesh, Mauritius and Madagascar, it employs 4,000 to 4,200 employees.
The Aquarelle Samudra factory was awarded the LEED Platinum Certification and has become one of the first apparel eco-factories in India. The certification, the highest recognition for Green Buildings, operates under US Green Building Council (USGBC) and acknowledges efforts of manufacturing in energy and environmental design.
In a social media post, the company said, “This is a strong recognition for the industry and a great achievement for our teams that have worked diligently to shape Aquarelle Samudra’s eco-factory and helped us achieve the certification.” It managed to get 90 marks out of 110 to get a Platinum certificate. Clothing company Superdry works with over 100 factories around the world, and it takes pride in its partnership with the company. It says, “Aquarelle is going one step further with their new LEED certified factory which means the factory has reached a leading environmental standard for their building’s construction, operation and maintenance that promotes efficiency and minimizes their impact.”
On its building, Patil says, "The construction started in 2017 and it became operational in 2019. It’s designed in such a way that there is abundant use of natural lighting and natural air, significant reliance on renewable energy, and harvesting rainwater." Its rooftop solar installation, generating 525 kilowatts, meets 60% of the overall consumption. In the unpainted building, fitted with 100% LED, lighting sensors are installed to ensure optimal use of natural light. In the warehouse, we have installed bigger lights, but in fewer numbers, while ensuring the highest luxe levels, Patil says. "In design, we scored 90. Another is the use of energy-efficient machineries, and the use of briquette boilers." A green building uses less energy, water and other natural resources, creates less waste and greenhouse gas, and is healthier for people living or working inside as compared to conventional ones.
Gender diversity
“We are operating with the best hardware and processing methods through digitalisation and automation which improves overall process and factory performance. Alongside, a state-of-the-art laundry with integrated washing and zero discharge also helped us achieve our target of this certification,” its parent company said in a LinkedIn post.
Apart from managing carbon footprint, businesses are also expected to act to ensure that people are empowered, and how seriously they implement this manifests the degree of their commitment. In the country of 1.4 billion people, women, according to the World Bank, account for 48% of India's population. According to the International Labour Organisation, the current global labour force participation rate for women is just under 47%, while for men, it’s 72%. It goes on to say that in India, surprisingly, the female labour participation rate has been declining over the past two decades, dropping from 32% in 2005 to 19% in 2021. This is crucial as female labour force participation is a driver of growth and, therefore, participation rates indicate the potential for a country to grow more rapidly, and businesses are expected to play a crucial role.
Patil says that 80% of Aquarelle India’s inclusive growth is about women. At the managerial level, women make up 10-20%, and at top management, it stands at 33%. Its parent company, CIEL Textile, claims to have set an ambitious target of 35% of women at management level by 2030. It goes on to say that it is determined to move the needle towards gender balance with the first ‘CIEL Textile Go Beyond Gender Forum’ held in 2021 uniting the top leaders and participants from the different business units in Mauritius, India, Madagascar and Bangladesh.
Sourcing
Textiles and apparel is one of the most globalised industries, and most believe that a fundamental shift toward a sourcing model that is sustainable and consumer-centric is required. "Earlier, we used to import fabrics from places like China and Hong Kong, but we have stopped that now. 90-95% is sourced locally. Our overall purchase breakup is 66- 100% cotton, 12-15% linen, polyester, and everything mixed. In organic, we are 5-6% and 1-2% recycle. Trims suppliers are even certified," Patil says. "We have received certificates from material partners like GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), GRS (Global Recyled Standard) and OCS (Organic Content Standard). We also monitor the traces of the materials we get from the major mills." Patil maintains that while sourcing, it makes sure cotton is grown with less chemicals, the quality of the soil is good, and there is no use of heavy fertilizers.
Benefits
According to a report by Serai, due to rising external pressure from consumers and governments, sustainability and transparency within the apparel industry have come under spotlight in recent years. It underscores that two-thirds (66%) of apparel industry insiders see supply chain transparency as an important issue. This number is even higher for Indian companies, at 83%. It’s widely believed that corporate reputation, business opportunities and profitability fuel the need to uphold transparency. It allows businesses to tap into opportunities with brands and retailers that are positioning themselves as sustainable or complying with stricter regulations. Today, most suppliers are motivated to improve supply chain transparency as part of their business goals.
In addition to benefiting the planet and society, ESG activities are associated with encouraging revenue growth and EBITDA margins, global consultancy Bain says. Its findings indicate that positive ESG outcomes are a trait of successful companies and that sustainability measures correlate with better financial performance. It goes on to underscore that ESG leaders have higher employee satisfaction, and companies with the most satisfied employees grow faster and are more profitable. However, it continues to be a challenge for many to achieve due to hurdles such as initial investment. Patil says that Aquarelle India aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. Given the urgency humanity faces, such a commitment is crucial as the circumstances warrant businesses to act, or at least attempt to mitigate.
*Originally featured in the September, 2023 edition of Images Business of Fashion
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