From being seen as a necessity and referred to in hushed tones as "foundation garments" and "unmentionables," the intimate apparel industry has evolved into a growing sector of the fashion industry and a mainstay on catwalks.
Contrary to the general apparel market, the intimate apparel sector is expanding, largely because of the adaptability of the industry's manufacturers, who’s younger, tech-savvy consumers are embracing social media and online shopping. If one reviews some lingerie statistics from the previous few years, they will see that more than 9,000 stores had announced their closure plans in 2019, and half of them started closing their doors in the first quarter of 2020. In this exclusive conversation, Avinash Mane, commercial director of Lenzing fibres (Tencel) South Asia discussed the future of the intimate wear apparel business.
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1.What made TENCEL collaborate with the largest intimate wear trade event in apparel industry?
TENCEL™️ modal and lyocell fibers are probably the most preferred premium fibers for close to skin applications. While cotton remains the most widely used fiber, it has a lot of limitations which are easily overcome by TENCEL™️ fibers. Hence, it made sense for us to collaborate with Intimasia to host South Asia’s biggest Intimate wear trade show. We already have major international and Indian brands along with new age labels using our fiber. This came as a good opportunity to reconnect with them under one roof and also explore new collaborations. We see this as a good platform to create awareness about new age fibers which create super comfortable intimate wear and are also cognizant of the environmental impact of textiles.
2.Indian initimate wear to grow exponentially? What is your views on the same
Indian intimate wear industry has seen a growth of around 15% CAGR in last 5 years and is expected to touch 90,000 crores INR in coming years. The global trade of Indian intimate wear industry is expected to reach 6 bn USD by 2030 from a current 3 bn USD. The numbers are enough to show the tremendous growth of this category. With addition of comfort wear, athleisure and loungewear, the category is only set to expand even further. The existing popular brands like Jocley, Lux, VIP, Bodycare , Bonjour , etc are already expanding their offerings as well innovations, we are also witnessing a strong growth in new age brands like Clovia, Amante, Nykd, Gloot, XYXX, Bummer, etc. to name a few which are benefitting from the e-com growth. This is now leading to every consumer group having more options to choose from.
3.Do you feel that consumers behaviour towards Intimate wear has changed over the years?
Definitely. There are 2 factors which have led to this change.
A .The growth of new age fibers like TENCEL™️ lyocell and modal in intimate wear category. These offerings lead to more comfortable products which are softer than cotton, more breathable & comfortable, and are long lasting. Once consumers get an experience of such materials in their innerwear, they prefer to continue purchasing the same.
B. The new age brands have given a lifestyle aspect to intimate wear which was earlier considered as a basic product. There are more colors, prints, designs which are being offered to the consumers giving them a new perspective towards this category.
C. Along with better materials and options, consumers, especially the young ones are more conscious of environmental impact of textiles. This brings the important factor of sustainability into mainstream discussions, leading brands to offer responsibly produced intimate wear.
D. Any additional information that as a brand you want to give to the consumers?
The offerings to Indian consumer have upgraded significantly and there has been a strong growth in consumption of premium materials, which are available at competitive prices as well. And this trend is here to stay. With channels like e-com making it easier to choose from wider range of options and new age brands, we will be seeing a pivotal shift in how India consumes intimate wear products. Topic of sustainability is going to be a major factor in this category. Brands will have to upgrade their products and supply chain to become future ready.
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