For the trendy, conscious of the way their clothes fall there is good news.
Mainetti (India) Pvt Ltd, part of Mainetti, a multinational company based in London, has initiated its GOH (garment on hanger) programme.
What it means to ordinary consumers is that in the future every garment they buy will come with a hanger especially made for the garment, instead of being folded, creased and packed in a box.
"Talks are on with garment manufacturers and retailers like Madura Garments, Pantaloon, Lifestyle and Shopper's Stop and also premium laundry chains such as White Tiger to switch from boxes to hangers," informs Rajesh Menon, vice president, marketing, Mainetti (India).
On offer are hangers for skirts, trousers, tops and dresses, lingerie and knitwear.
In addition, there are hangers for gloves, scarves, belts and footwear. The flip side is that the retail customers will have to wait for another couple of years for these products to hit the stores.
For now, Mainetti's main customers are bulk garment manufacturers and exporters.
Mainetti set up its India operations in 1997 with a manufacturing unit in Chennai. Its parent company enjoyed a turnover of $3,500 million last year.
Besides manufacturing hangers, Mainetti worldwide has interests in aluminium extrusion, software, entertainment and packaging.
"Every year close to $5 billion worth of garments are exported from India. Our main focus is to tap this market," says Menon.
He claims exporting garments on hangers cuts down on both handling charges and time. "And the product is delivered to the point of sale looking as immaculate as it was when packed," he adds.
Mainetti pushes for different kinds of hangers as it believes that one design does not suit all garments.
"You spoil the look and the garment has creases at all the wrong places," says Menon. So, why doesn't Mainetti enter the retail segment?
"We have to set up a distribution network first. We tapped the exporters first, and now plan to persuade garment retailers. The consumer segment will follow in the next two years," he promises.
Mainetti supplies to major retail brands such as Wal-Mart, Old Navy, Marks & Spencer, Armani, Gucci, C&A, Mother Care among others.
In India, its clients are garment exporters like Orient Clothing (Delhi), Bangalore's Gokuldas Exports, Leela Laces, Texport Group and Eastman Exports.
The company's plant in Chennai manufactures 3.5 million hangers a month but has a capacity to make another 1.5 million.
A manufacturing centre, with a capacity of 4 million hangers, will also come up near Gurgaon.
"We're seriously thinking of making India our manufacturing hub. As it is we export 20 per cent of our production," confides Menon.
Last year the company clocked Rs 30 crore (Rs 300 million) turnover and hopes to touch Rs 50 crore (Rs 500 million) in the next couple of years.
