Kasturi Cotton, a unique and premium brand of Indian cotton, offering consumers a perfect blend of comfort, durability, sustainability, and luxury.
TexMart : Could you brief us about Kasturi Cotton?
Dr. Siddhartha Rajagopal : Kasturi Cotton Bharat is a brand born from the combined vision of key stakeholders in the Indian textile eco-system. The Textile Industry along with the leading Trade Bodies and Export Promotion Councils came forward to partner with the Government to implement the branding project in line with global practices.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), a Mini Ratna company, on behalf of the Ministry of Textiles and The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL), the Apex Textile body on 15th December 2022 on the banks of the river Ganges in the holy city of Varanasi, entrusting the implementation of Branding, Traceability and Certification programme of Kasturi Cotton to TEXPROCIL. A corpus was created with equal contributions from industry, trade and the Government of India. Kasturi Cotton Bharat is truly a joint effort by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, Trade and Industry in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
TM: What are your company’s mission?
SR : Kasturi Cotton Bharat mission can be summed with the following:
(a)Setting up of specification-based benchmarks to create an assurance of premium quality
(b)Create robust infrastructure, systems and Standard Operating Procedures to ensure quality and full traceability of premium Indian cotton
(c)Empower Indian cotton farmers to adopt best practices including sustainability measures in the production of cotton that meets the specification of the brand and thereby to enable them to access markets and get better returns for their produce.
TM: Can you share in brief about Texprocil?
SR : TEXPROCIL promotes exports of cotton textiles including Raw Cotton, Yarn, Fabrics and Home Textiles made of cotton and blends. The Council’s membership base includes very large vertically integrated mills with billions of dollar turnover to small units in the rural areas making specialty products. TEXPROCIL has successfully established the presence of the Indian Textiles Industry as a reliable source of cotton textiles in the international markets. The increased quantum of exports and the diversification of existing markets bear testimony to the success of TEXPROCIL!
TM: May we know about your export promotion services?
SR : The Council provides export promotional services to over 2,000 members including composite mills, spinning units, weaving units, knitting units, process houses and merchant exporters; showcasing a dazzling array of cotton textile products across the value chain…!! For the discerning global buyers, the Council acts as a catalyst in connecting them with Indian exporters to meet their sourcing requirements of the choicest range of cotton textiles Made-in-India.
TM: How does Kasturi Cotton ensure quality and performance in textile manufacturing through advanced testing and innovative technology?
SR : TEXPROCIL as the implementation partners has defined the specifications in consultation with stakeholders including ginning units, trade and industry so that the unique and complex nature of the Indian cotton sector is taken into account. Only NABCB Accredited Certification Bodies and NABL Accredited Testing Laboratories have been empanelled to make sure that the cotton is tested and conform to Kasturi Cotton specifications. Kasturi Cotton is working with farmers and Farmer Producer Organisations for the dissemination of best practices in farming and sustainability.
KC Track, an indigenously developed blockchain and QR code-based platform ensures that the certified cotton is traceable from farm to fashion. Consumers too can see the entire value chain just by scanning the QR code that can be affixed to the garment – providing unique and completely transparency to Indian cotton.
TM: Can you list the products you offer under Kasturi Cotton and mention your main specifications?
SR : Kasturi Cotton is a standard of Indian cotton that empowers the Indian cotton textiles sector to work together to improve the quality of Indian cotton thereby providing an assurance of both quality and availability that the entire value chain can trust.
The specifications that Kasturi Cotton addresses include Staple length, Micronaire value, RD value, Uniformity index, Trash and Moisture content. These specifications provide benefits of heightened comfort, increased softness, improved color vibrancy, greater durability and improved manufacturing efficiency while reducing wastage.
TM: What quality checks do you usually perform on your cotton bales?
SR : The cotton is tested at the ginning stage with 5% of all bales offered randomly sampled with on-spot moisture test by NABCB Accredited Certification agency. Further the samples are tested by NABL Accredited Laboratories. TEXPROCIL is the final authority to certify the results after inspection of results provided by the NABL Accredited Laboratories.
TM: How does staple length matter in spinning or yarn strength?
SR : Different staple lengths enable the spinning of different yarn counts. Different counts are required for different types of finished products. Towels will require coarser count and higher thread counts for bedlinens require finer yarn counts.
TM: How do you control contamination during the ginning stage?
SR : Standard operating procedures and training of both farmers in adoption of best practices during and post-harvest including transportation have a big positive impact on delivery of cotton to the ginning units. At the ginning stage too standard operating procedures in storage and handling of the cotton have been developed. The adoption of efficient pre-cleaning machinery to remove all contaminants has been recommended. The better returns that Kasturi Cotton commands is an incentive that motivates contamination control at the ginning stage.
TM: What fibre strength do you aim for, and how do you test it?
SR : Fibre strength is defined for different staple lengths ranging from 29.0 (-1.5) g/tex upto to 37.5 (-1.5) g/tex.
TM: Can you explain how traceability works in your system using blockchain?
SR : Lots offered are provided with a unique QR code printed on tamper-resistant material. All information is fed into the system from farm-level up to the ginning stage. Sampled and tested lots that meet the specifications are then credited to the concerned ginning unit on the blockchain portal. Registered supply chain members can buy and sell the products manufactured at various stages and the same is tracked with the assistance of Transaction Certificates (TC). TEXPROCIL reserves the right to authorise each and every TC.
TM: What steps do you ensure to keep the cotton pure and white throughout processing?
SR : TEXPROCIL (The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council) does not directly process cotton but plays a significant role in promoting quality assurance and best practices among its member exporters and producers. It ensures that cotton remains pure and white throughout processing primarily through standards, advocacy, capacity building, and certification facilitation.
TM: What does the QR code on your cotton bale include?
SR : The QR-code on Kasturi Cotton bales enables visibility of the entire journey of the bale from farm to final product. This detailed information is available to registered member of the cotton’s supply chain. This enables transparency and authenticity of Kasturi Cotton.
TM: How does 30 mm cotton perform differently from 34 mm in actual spinning?
SR : Different staple lengths result in different yarn counts. 30 mm+ staple length can produce 60s count in spinning and with 34 mm+ staple length upto 100s yarn count can be achieved. Coarser yarn counts are for coarser fabric and finer yarn counts are for finer fabrics.
TM: Which sustainability practices or certifications are you following?
SR : Kasturi Cotton has collaborated with globally recognised standards of sustainability including the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) and Regenagri. This enables the supply chain to get the best of both standards – sustainability certification from these standards and the quality certification of Kasturi Cotton. In addition to this, the sustainability initiatives include training and development on best practices with leading organisations including CITI-CDRA, ICAR-CIRCOT, CottonConnect and Farmer Producer Organisations.
TM: Why do you think fiber maturity is important in your product?
SR : Fiber maturity determines the staple length and specifications of the fibre. Only matured fibre will be able to meet the specifications of Kasturi Cotton.
TM: If a spinner complains of uneven yarn from your cotton, how would you handle it?
SR : TEXPROCIL is committed to upholding the highest standards of cotton quality. On receipt of complaint a technical review is initiated and the concerned supplier is engaged. Independent testing, if required, is facilitated to ensure transparency.
TM: Challenges you are facing in the market?
SR : There was initial hesitancy by the supply chain due to the very high standards set by Kasturi Cotton. However, since its launch in December 2022, Kasturi Cotton has been able to demonstrate the viability of the vision and has also been able to interest domestic brands into adopting Kasturi Cotton. The initiative has responded to encouraging feedback received by widening the staple length from the initial 29 mm+ and 30 mm+ to include staple lengths of 28 mm+, 31 mm+, 32 mm+ and 33 mm+. Extra Long Staple lengths of 34 mm+ and 35 mm+ are now included in the program. The block chain portal has been upgraded to include farm level data and to add many more features enable greater transparency and convenience for users.
TM: What is the membership base of Texprocil?
SR : Texprocil has a membership of around 2,000 companies spread across major textile clusters in India. Its members are well established manufacturers and exporters of cotton textile products like Cotton, Yarns, Fabrics and Home Textiles, showcasing a dazzling array of products across the value chain.
TM: What are the value added services provided to the industry?
SR : The Council connects international buyers with appropriate suppliers and facilitates interaction that enables them to source their specific needs. It also provides information on India’s competitive advantages, its export environment and updated position in the global market place. Texprocil provides regular updates on international product trends, trade related issues, advances in technology and the latest developments in the industry, as well as existing and emerging markets.
It also undertakes regular market research, organises participation in international trade fairs, holds its own Buyer Seller Meets and facilitates international trade missions in India and other countries. The Council enables better understanding of Indian and International trade policies, emerging trade issues, social and environmental compliances, quality management and sustainable business practices.
TM: How are technological advancements driving the growth and transformation of the Indian textile industry?
SR : Technological advancements are playing a pivotal role in driving the growth and transformation of the Indian textile industry. Technological advancements are not just enhancing efficiency and productivity in the Indian textile industry—they are also opening new global market opportunities, encouraging sustainable practices, and transforming the industry into a modern, competitive, and innovation-driven sector.
TM: How has the Indian textile industry transformed in recent years, and what key trends will shape its future growth?
SR : In recent years, India’s textile industry has undergone significant transformation, driven by technological advancements, sustainability initiatives, and supportive government policies. The sector has embraced automation, digital printing, and AI to enhance efficiency and product quality. Sustainability has become a focal point, with increased adoption of eco-friendly practices and materials.
Government schemes like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) and PM MITRA parks have bolstered infrastructure and investment. Looking ahead, key trends shaping future growth include improving cotton productivity, the rise of technical textiles, expansion into man-made fibers, and a focus on skill development to meet global demand.