VANI BHATNAGAR
design (research + strategy)
KHARA KAPAS
Retail
2020
CHALLENGE
Reposition Khara Kapas, an apparel and lifestyle startup in New Delhi, to justify its increasing price point and convey compliance to European sustainability standards.
IMPACT
Khara Kapas gained 40+ new high value customers who now shop directly through their website or through third-party retailers across Europe and the Middle East. Their Instagram engagement increased 5x with our artisan centric content. Above all, the brand's artisan family grew by 47 members across their supply chain.
OUTCOME
A refined vision through the formulation of a subsidiary brand with an aligned product-market fit and compelling communication strategy, as well as an introductory apparel collection for our new customers, supported by an international exhibition for new retailers.
KEY LEARNINGS
Firstly,'sustainable is expensive' is a constructed narrative. It is important to educate customers about the consumerism agendas that surrounds it. Secondly, it is easy to get stuck if the vision is too narrow. Think of scalability from day one.
How can we reposition the brand to align with international sustainability
standards?
Khara Kapas is a Delhi-based sustainable apparel and lifestyle design studio specialising in handcrafted artisanal products. In 2020, Khara Kapas was the only Indian brand selected to present at NEONYT by Messe Frankfurt - the world's largest sustainability trade show held in Berlin - upon meeting their highly stringent standards of sustainability and fair trade. The company aimed to explore brand expansion in the European Union and build partnerships within the region. Prior to that, we began our research on the indigenous kala cotton, better known as Old World's cotton, at the Khara Kapas studio. This is a purely rainfed organic crop, grown without the use of chemicals and pesticides. The resulting yarn is slightly coarse, and hence the fabric woven from this material retains its pure, untreated character. Over several visits from our New Delhi headquarters to our farmer's fields in Kutchh, Gujarat, we learnt the art of fabric making by hand. Khara Kapas pioneered reviving the use of Kala Cotton in mainstream design studios to the wardrobes of its ethical and loyal buyers. But, this was not enough. The brand faced several challenges in justifying its price point for this particular collection. While its usual price point ranged between $80 - $150, this collection started retailing from $200, going upwards of $350, due to its pristine and artisanal nature. It was necessary to retail higher for the brand to compensate its craftsmen fairly. However, they needed to develop an alternate strategy to not only save the sales from plummeting but also make the collection a success, upholding the high standards that they set for themselves.
MY ROLE
I was the Design Manager on the project, working under the guidance of the Founder and Creative Director, Shilpi Yadav, in this early stage startup. Since we were a small team, I got to wear multiple hats and hold a major chunk of responsibility to oversee the success of the project.
More specifically, I was responsible for market analysis and user research, developing the communication strategy and executing all creative campaigns around the subsidiary brand, launch of the collection and our participation at NEONYT.
WHO IS THE KHARA KAPAS WOMAN?
USER JOURNEY
AAH, THAT'S BEAUTIFUL! BUT...
Interest piques through visuals on Instagram but not enough information to create legitimacy.
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?
Reads product details on the website and is excited to try them out.
WHAT? NO! WHAT THE HELL! SERIOUSLY?
Logistics of delivery (long wait time, no retail options, no returns) lead to frustration.
WELL, FINGERS CROSSED.
'Takes and bet' with the order but is excited about the product choice and hopeful that it lives upto expectation.
ORDER? WHAT ORDER?
The excitement wears out to the level that the order is almost forgotten about due to the long delivery time frame.
I KNEW THIS WOULD BE WORTH THE WAIT!
(Finally) receives the delivery, almost a surprise gift to self at this point. Mesmarized by the unboxing experience and relieved that her money didn't go to waste.
NEW DAY, NEW DRESS.
Excited to wear the new outfit. Receives several compliments. Enjoys the comfort of the fabric and fit throughout the day.
DID IT EVEN HAPPEN IF IT WASN'T ON INSTAGRAM?
Shares the joy of her purchase in conversations with friends and family, and posts fit photos on social media tagging the brand.
WHY CAN'T THEY HAVE A STORE NEARBY?!
Contemplates making another purchase but is reminded of the initial struggles while browsing through more options. Hesistates.
There is an intention-action gap
Sustainability-focused behaviour
Willingness to act sustainbly
Neither intent nor action
There’s a discrepancy between fashion consumers’ willingness to act sustainably and their actual behavior
gap is widest when sustainable action requires extra effort, such as collecting and verifying information
avoid fast fashion
reduce purchases
buy second hand
read garment labels
check sustainability certicifactions
Service
Experience
Shopping Environment
Quality and durability are the leading purchasing factors
They are closely related to sustainability and directly impact (and extend) a product’s lifetime. And they are actionable.
Social
Impact
Durability
Price
Fit
Peers
Product Quality
Brand Coolness
Social
Media
Assortment
Style
Customers are willing to pay more if sustainability is tied to the price tag.
Willingness to pay more increases with consumers’ concern for sustainability, and so does the average premium price consumers are willing to accept.
Willingness to pay more for sustainable products (as per personas)
Availability and difficulty distinguishing sustainable products are among the reasons consumers don’t buy sustainable fashion.
The brand is overwhelmed by the complexity of its lengthy supply chain, and waiting for consumers to signal stronger interest and sustainability.
Meanwhile, consumers cannot articulate what they want, lacking a common definition or standard to demand.
#819269
#3F3E3A
LOGO CONCEPT
The logo embodies the essence of purity and authenticity, symbolized by the simplicity and elegance of a cotton flower. The design blends traditional Indian motifs with a modern aesthetic, reflecting our commitment to sustainable and natural textiles. The earthy color palette reinforces our dedication to eco-friendly practices and the timeless beauty of organic cotton.
#EFEEE9
BRAND BOOK FOR NEONYT (EXHIBITION) & NEW RETAILERS
Why NEONYT?
Neonyt is the global hub for fashion, sustainability and innovation, and a platform to drive the industry to change fashion together. Companies chosen to present here have in common their focus on sustainable materials, resource-saving production methods, fair working conditions and short transport routes. Neonyt regularly attracts important buyers and representatives from the retail sector including giants such as H&M, Galerie Lafayette and LVHM.
Even though Khara Kapas did not meet the requirements of providing certain sustainability certifications, the brand was still chosen to present based on its transparent storytelling of its farm-to-fashion supply chain. To enunciate this to prospective buyers, we developed a brand story guide - a primary collateral with in-depth information to replace the mundane flyer.
