“I’ve learned that in the whirlwind of startups, focusing on core value—making your product or service truly special—is paramount. Don’t get swept away by the valuation game; build a rock-solid foundation instead.”
Entrepreneurs Today recently had a chat with Karan Mehra, a 29-year-old graduate from the National Institute of Fashion Technology in Mumbai who has been making waves in the Textile and Garment industry. With a distinguished academic record and a background in sports, including national-level representation in volleyball and basketball, Karan brings a dynamic skill set to his endeavors.
Currently, Karan leads Gentex Global with two thriving divisions. The first arm operates as a fabric supply company based in Surat, while the other specializes in garment sourcing. What sets Gentex Global apart is its innovative approach to serving the burgeoning e-commerce fashion market in India, which is projected to reach over 500 billion US dollars by 2032.
Gentex Global offers seamless integration from raw materials to finished products, providing design services tailored to the needs of online fashion retailers. The company’s unique “Pick & Buy” service streamlines the design and sourcing process, enabling clients to focus on sales while Gentex Global handles the rest.
With an in-house fabric design team collaborating closely with garment designers, Gentex Global delivers exclusive collections on a monthly basis, meeting the evolving demands of its customers efficiently and effectively.
Drawing Inspiration
Karan Mehra’s inspiration was sparked by his eye-opening journey through Bangladesh’s massive garment factories to India’s vibrant fashion scene.
Immersed in the world of mass production, he realized a glaring disparity back home: a lack of variety in the fashion landscape despite the voracious appetite of India’s style-conscious youth. Recognizing the need for a paradigm shift, Karan identified that brands were struggling to provide the diverse, rapidly changing designs demanded by the market.
Driven by this revelation, Karan’s mission with Gentex Global is to bridge the gap between monotonous offerings and fleeting trends. He envisions a fashion ecosystem where diversity and innovation reign supreme, catering to the dynamic tastes of India’s fashion enthusiasts.
With the establishment of a fabric company in Surat, Gentex Global aims to disrupt the status quo by introducing fresh prints and qualities every month, challenging the industry norm of recycling old designs. Karan’s vision, as he reveals,
“Was to offer our own new prints & qualities every month rather than what’s been running.”
Their USP
What sets Gentex Global apart from its competitors is its comprehensive approach to sourcing and supply chain management in the fashion industry. Here are the key unique aspects:
One Stop Sourcing Solution: Gentex Global offers a wide range of products sourced from various countries, including India, Bangladesh, and China. This enables them to cater to diverse customer needs, from simple shirts to intricately embroidered denim and winter wear, providing a comprehensive solution under one roof.
Raw Material Integration: With an in-house fabric arm, Gentex Global not only offers design options but also has control over a significant portion of the garment cost. This allows them to provide competitive prices and reduce order lead times by 30%, a significant advantage compared to competitors relying on third-party fabric vendors.
Design Symphony: Gentex Global boasts in-house design capabilities for both raw materials and finished products. Their understanding of various market segments, from kids’ wear to women’s wear, ensures that they stay ahead of the curve in terms of design trends and customer preferences.
Flexible MOQs: With a network of over two dozen manufacturing partners across India and Bangladesh, Gentex Global can accommodate varying order sizes, ranging from as low as 100 units to over 1 lakh units. This flexibility makes them an ideal sourcing partner for brands of all sizes, from small startups to established labels.
Challenges Faced
The sector’s lack of professionalism and commitment often led to quality discrepancies and inaccurate order quantities, resulting in potential reputational damage and customer complaints. To combat these issues, Gentex Global implemented stringent quality control measures. He affirms,
“We have an in-house team to check 100% of fabric before we ship rather than relying on just mills. We also have a sophisticated barcode system that digitalizes packing and quantity checks and eliminates any human error.”
Another hurdle for Gentex Global was the lack of transparency and data accessibility in order execution, leaving both the company and its customers in the dark about the status of their orders. To address this, Gentex Global introduced internal critical path tracking and began providing transparent weekly updates to buyers, allowing them to plan their inventories more effectively. Additionally, the company established an open portal for tracking running orders, offering customers real-time visibility into their orders and helping them mitigate potential delays.
Through strategic solutions and a focus on fundamental principles, Gentex Global has minimized rejection rates and customer returns, ensuring smooth operations and receiving trust from its clients.
Achievements So Far
Gentex Global has achieved significant milestones through its commitment to organic growth and unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction. Despite not relying on external funding or marketing gimmicks, the company has experienced a remarkable 200% year-over-year growth since 2022. Karan says,
“The growth has happened only by adding value to the product we craft and by providing genuine homogeneous business services, woven into every fabric we ship and stitched into every garment we craft. We believe in constant evolution with the basic principle that yesterday’s best is not enough for today.”
Furthermore, Gentex Global prides itself on its exceptional customer retention rate. Over the course of its four-year journey, the company has maintained a stellar record, with not a single customer discontinuing their partnership due to dissatisfaction or poor service. Instead, Gentex Global has continually expanded its portfolio by attracting new clients and earning their trust.
Plans Ahead
Gentex Global is charting a course towards a sustainable future with two ambitious objectives. They are committed to integrating sustainability into every aspect of their operations. The company aims to lead the industry towards responsible choices by prioritizing the use of recycled and organic materials in its garments. Karan asserts,
“By offering high-quality fashion-forward garments at competitive prices, we aim to make sustainability the only “fashion statement” in town.”
With an eye on global markets, Gentex Global is also poised for expansion beyond its current borders. The company plans to strategically establish manufacturing facilities in India and venture into niche markets such as Latin America, the UAE, and various European countries. With the necessary funding, Gentex Global intends to establish design sourcing offices abroad, spreading its sustainable ethos worldwide.
Lessons Learned
Towards the end of the conversation with Entrepreneurs Today, Karan emphasised the importance of prioritizing substance over hype. He realized that the true measure of success lies not in chasing billion-dollar valuations or riding the waves of market trends, but in building a business that genuinely adds value. As he says,
“Make your product or service so strong, so essential, that it can weather any storm, market swing, or funding fad. Because in the end, it’s not the noise, but the impact that echoes through time.”
