Co-founded by sisters Meghna Kishore and Barkha Bhatnagar Das, Greendigo is an internationally certified organic cotton brand that offers baby clothing and nursery essentials. It was born out of Meghna’s personal need for non-toxic and safe clothing for her premature baby which also helped her recognise a white space that existed in the domestic market. Recently, actor Dia Mirza has invested an undisclosed amount in the brand. In an email interview with Images Business of Fashion, Meghna informs, “With children’s skin being about 30% thinner than adults, it is more absorbent of substances present in their clothes.” Excerpt of the interview.
Take us through the journey since 2019, and also tell us what influenced you to launch Greendigo.
Children are one of the largest consumers of apparel. They are also the most vulnerable customer segment to feel the ill-effects of synthetic clothing and toxic chemicals. With children’s skin being about 30% thinner than adults, it is more absorbent of substances present in their clothes. With increasing exposure to pollutants and toxins in most clothes available today, there is a significant rise in the number of children prone to allergies, skin rashes, respiratory disorders amongst other threats to health. Synthetic garments take a long time to decompose, creating long-term pollution which in turn impacts the future generations who will inherit this planet in the days to come. Further, in India, availability of good quality, organic cotton clothing for children is low.
Arising out of a personal need for non-toxic and safe clothing for my premature baby, I recognised a white space that existed in the domestic market. Along with my sister Barkha Bhatnagar Das, who is conscious of living mindfully herself, we embarked on a journey to launch a brand of thoughtfully designed clothing safe for babies and convenient for moms. With an unwavering commitment to quality, comfort, attention to detail and sustainable manufacturing practices, Greendigo was born.
What sets Greendigo uniquely apart from those in the competition? Give us an insight.
Greendigo is an internationally certified organic cotton brand that offers baby clothing and nursery essentials designed for new moms and dads to experience the joy of parenthood without any worries. Free of toxic chemicals and made of the softest organic cotton, our clothing is gentle, comfortable, thoughtfully designed and 100% safe on delicate baby skin. Certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), our range includes onesies, tops, bottoms, blankets, bibs, caps, burp cloths, cot sets and more, for premature babies right upto the age of 2 years.
How much the Covid-induced lockdowns affected your operations as a new brand, and where does it stand today, in terms of recovery?
The pandemic has definitely given a boost to local businesses and ecommerce. Additionally, consumers are now more conscious of what they purchase for themselves and their families. Adoption of non-toxic and safe clothing is on the rise, especially for babies and children. Having the first mover advantage in the babywear category where Greendigo is the only brand in India to have the certification from Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), we get a lot of interest from expectant parents as well as parents of toddlers who believe in getting only the highest quality products for their child.
What retail strategy have you adopted to penetrate the market? Where in the country does Greendigo enjoy strong demand?
Greendigo is an ecommerce brand that generates revenue through sales from its own website and through marketplaces like Firstcry, Tata Cliq, Myntra, Nykaa Fashion, Amazon etc. With a focus on digital advertising and influencer campaigns, we have been able to reach out to relevant audiences. Also, since children outgrow their clothes every few months, we see a high repeat rate of customers. While our focus is primarily ecommerce, we also undertake wholesale and private labelling orders in bulk from brands in India and overseas. As a brand we deliver pan-India and overseas but we see more interest from Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Pune.
Given that India is a price-sensitive market, what challenges do you face?
We ȃ nd that millennial parents of babies today want only the safest and best quality products for their baby. Considerations like product being free of dangerous chemicals, safe for baby’s skin and convenient to use take precedence over price. However, as a brand, we focus on delivering maximum value to the consumer. For instance, our babygrow styles which come with adjustable length tend to last longer than a regular baby garment. We have in-built mittens in all our onesies which solve for parents not having to purchase mittens separately. Our reversible styles oǹ er the value of two garments in one. In terms of price, our products are not comparable to synthetic garments widely available in the domestic market however, despite being a certiȃ ed organic brand, we are competitive with leading international babywear brands available in India. This is done with the purpose of making organic cotton clothing the norm rather than an exception and to make our safe products accessible to all.
Greendigo’s recent association with Diya Mirza made headlines. What does this mean for the brand, in terms of consolidation?
Dia joins the Greendigo family as a parent, an advocate for the planet, and an investor, with the primary goal of delivering the brand’s powerful, heartfelt and purposeful message to a broader audience. Our vision is uncompromisingly focused upon ensuring that organic clothing for kids becomes normative rather than an exception. With someone as relatable, credible and successful as Dia as our ambassador, we have no doubt that our message will reach far and wide. With this partnership, Greendigo hopes to create awareness about the harmful effects of toxic chemicals that are found in conventional baby clothing.
Discuss a few challenges you still face in branding as a young brand.
While young parents are on the lookout for safe and gentle, toxin free clothing for their little ones, they are often unaware on how to check the authenticity of an organic cotton garment. One of our biggest challenges has been to educate our audience on the certiȃ cations that exist for organic cotton garments. Consumers are often misled into believing that a garment is organic but there are no claims to back that. Greendigo is certiȃ ed by Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), which is the platinum seal of trust when it comes to organic apparel worldwide. Right from raw materials being free of hazardous chemicals to social and environmental responsibility being practiced during the various stages of production, this stringent certification guarantees the genuineness and authenticity of an organic cotton garment.
Greendigo is well positioned to succeed in the baby apparel category by leveraging its first mover advantage of being the only certified ecommerce organic cotton brand in India along with an aggressive strategy to market clothing that is safe, comfortable, thoughtfully designed and meets international quality standards. We aim to capture a significant share of the baby apparel category with our two-pronged growth strategy of being present where our target audience is present coupled with introduction of new product categories and styles to fully capture a baby’s wardrobe needs.
This story was first published in the December 2022 issue of Images Business of Fashion magazine.
