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Solarvastra: Is Renewable Energy-powered Sustainable Fashion a Real Market Opportunity?

Garvit Sahdev, Shruti Jindal, Abhishek Jain
April 2021 | Sustainable Livelihoods

Suggested Citation: Sahdev, Garvit, Shruti Jindal, Abhishek Jain. 2021. Solarvastra: Is Renewable Energy-powered Sustainable Fashion a Real Market Opportunity? New Delhi: Council on Energy, Environment and Water.

Overview

This Powering Livelihoods market research report provides insights on the current state and the potential for Solarvastra - a fabric produced using solar charkhas and solar looms. The usage of solar power provides a unique value proposition for these 100 per cent renewable energy-based products. The report highlights key geographies suitable for expansion across the cotton value chain, supporting policy landscape and competition. It captures the serviceable market size and major market segments that entrepreneurs can target for apparels, fabric and government procurement.

Powering Livelihoods, a USD 3 million (INR 21 crores) initiative by CEEW and Villgro, is mainstreaming clean energy-based solutions in India’s rural economy. It provides capital, technical, and sectoral growth support to help social enterprises deploy a large number of clean energy-based livelihood solutions in a gender-inclusive manner.

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Key Highlights

  • The serviceable available market (SAM) for woven cotton Solarvastra garments is USD 2.4 billion (INR 17,300 crore) with tops/shirts, salwaar kameez, trousers, sarees, and dresses and skirts as the top five categories. This serviceable market has the potential to deploy 53,000 sewing machines and create 106,000 jobs.
  • The SAM for woven cotton Solarvastra fabric is USD 1.5 billion (INR 10,600 crore). This serviceable market has the potential to deploy 169,500 looms, 386,500 charkhas and create 606,850 jobs.
  • Forward market linkage is the major bottleneck in the expansion of solar charkhas and solar looms. To resolve this, either the ‘Khadi’ brand should include Solarvastra or Solarvastra should be given equal importance as Khadi in marketing, government procurement, and policy support.
  • Entrepreneurs can establish forward market linkages in multiple ways. They can explore collaborations with Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) & Association of Corporations and Apex Societies of Handlooms (ACASH) for order fulfilment through the solar value chain route. They can partner with sourcing agencies to get access to global markets. They can also partner with brands focused on traditional crafts, fair-trade and sustainability to provide a niche/ unique value proposition for these 100 per cent renewable energy-based products.

SAM for Woven Cotton Garments: USD 2.4 Billion (INR 17,300 Crore)

Market Size

Source: Author's analysis

The total serviceable market for Solarvastra apparels is USD 2.4 billion (INR 17,300 crore) and for Solarvastra fabric is USD 1.5 billion (INR 10,600 crore). They have the potential to deploy 53,000 solar sewing machines, 169,500 Looms, and 386,500 charkhas and create 712,850 jobs.

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