Aditya Birla Group is an Indian
multinational
conglomerate, headquartered in Worli, Mumbai, India. It operates in 35 countries with more than 120,000 employees worldwide. The group was founded by Seth Shiv Narayan Birla in 1857. The group has interests in viscose staple fibre, metals, cement (largest in India), viscose filament yarn, branded apparel, carbon black, chemicals, fertilisers, insulators, financial services, telecom, BPO and IT services.
The group had a revenue of approximately US$44.3 billion in year 2018. It is the third-largest Indian private sector conglomerate behind
Tata Group with revenue of just over US$100 billion and
RIL with revenue of US$74 billion.
Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL) is a part of USD 44.3 billion Aditya Birla Group. With are venue of Rs. 7,181 crore and a retail space of 7 million sq. ft. (as on 31stMarch, 2018), it is India's first billion-dollar pure-play fashion power house with an elegant bouquet of leading fashion brands and retail formats.
ABFRL emerged after the consolidation of the branded apparel businesses of Aditya Birla Group comprising ABNL's Madura Fashion division and ABNL's subsidiaries — Pantaloons Fashion and Retail (PFRL) and Madura Fashion& Lifestyle (MFL) in May 2015. Post the consolidation, PFRL was renamed Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd.
ABFRL brings together the learnings and businesses of two renowned Indian fashion icons, Madura Fashion& Lifestyle and Pantaloons creating a synergistic core that will act as the nucleus of the future fashion businesses of the Aditya Birla Group.
ABFRL hosts India's largest fashion network with over 11,000points of sale, which include close to 2,500 exclusive ABFRL brand outlets across 750+ cities and towns, 4,900+ multi-brand outlets and 4000+ department stores across the country. It has ~22 million loyalty members as of 31st March2018.
Given the buzz around sustainability, it’s clear that eco-conscious behaviour, whether as a consumer or business, isn’t just an informed choice, but the need of the hour. Birla Cellulose, a part of Aditya Birla Group’s Grasim Industries, has taken a leap in enhancing the sustainability quotient of its brand and the fashion industry at large. In January 2019, the company launched Livaeco, a new variant of its consumer brand Liva. The eco-enhanced variant was unveiled at a forest-themed fashion show that featured Bollywood actor and Liva brand ambassador Kangana Ranaut as the show stopper.
Livaeco enhances Liva’s sustainability quotient while retaining its fashion quotient. It is made from raw material sourced from forests that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which ensures the conservation of biodiversity, saving of endangered forests and an increase in the green cover overall. Livaeco also promises minimal usage of water vis-à-vis other natural fibres in its manufacturing process and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
“The textile industry is the second largest polluting industry. With retail brands moving towards a fast-fashion model and creating new collections every month, the pressure on environment has further gone up,” says Dilip Gaur, Managing Director of Grasim. He adds, “Retail garment brands are looking for sustainable solutions and Livaeco is a major step in this direction. We already have a few global brands that are keen on sourcing Livaeco from us. Indian brands and designers are also following suit to stay ahead in the game.”