We put ‘Sustainability’ and ‘Responsible Manufacturing’ above all else
Greenhome Furnishings Private Limited is the sustainable textile division of BKS Textiles, founded in 2023 to focus holistically on eco-friendly textile solutions. Guided by a legacy of excellence, Greenhome is driven by ethical practices, innovation, and a commitment to sustainability. It forges meaningful partnerships while delivering exceptional quality and pioneering advancements in circular economy initiatives. In an interview with Fibre2Fashion, Director Dr. Sudha Anand discusses sustainability in home textiles, and the company’s AWE-inspiring roadmap.
Sustainability is increasingly becoming a requirement rather than a trend in the textile industry. What do you think is the next big innovation that could reshape the future of sustainable textiles?
The next big thing in sustainable textiles will be the new EU mandates that will impact textile exports to Europe. EU is coming up with mandatory requirements and legislations for the suppliers and brands to comply with in order to export into Europe. This will bring in a significant shift in the entire textile value chain.
What role do certifications and standards like OEKO-TEX, GOTS, or BCI play in the credibility of a textile manufacturer today, and how do you foresee their influence growing?
We feel that certifications like OEKO-TEX, GOTS and BCI are necessary for the buyers to identify potential suppliers who are focused on sustainability, and from supplier point of view, these standards help and guide us in understanding the requirements to supply sustainable textiles. We see the influence of these certifications growing as it provides a guideline for both suppliers and buyers.
How is the textile industry responding to the increasing consumer demand for transparency and traceability in the supply chain?
There are many traceability solutions available for the textile industry that are based on blockchain, DNA marking etc. In the near future, many suppliers and brands would adopt these as transparency and traceability are becoming inevitable.
With growing concerns about water consumption and pollution in textile production, what new technologies or processes are being adopted by manufacturers to mitigate these issues?
In our state of Tamil Nadu, we have a mandatory law for wet processing industry where we must follow Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD). Under ZLD, we do not let out any effluent. Instead, the effluent goes through Reverse Osmosis process where 94-95 per cent water is recycled and reused, and the rest gets evaporated. This, I feel, is already a stringent standard and has arrested water pollution and consumption to a great extent.
How do you see the circular economy concept evolving within the textile industry, and what do you believe are the key drivers to make it mainstream?
Circular economy is becoming a mainstream topic now. Reduce, Recycle and Reuse are the key drivers. Out of these, recycling is evolving very fast and is contributing significantly to circular economy.
Greenhome Furnishings was established with a strong focus on sustainability. Can you share how this vision influences your day-to-day operations and decision-making?
At Greenhome, we put ‘Sustainability’ and ‘Responsible Manufacturing’ above all else, and we ensure that our marketing strategy, customer focus, future expansion plans, employee training and development etc are in line with our vision.
How does Greenhome’s association with BKS Textiles shape your approach to sustainability and innovation? What legacy practices from BKS are still influencing Greenhome today?
BKS is the parent company and right from inception, my father and CMD of BKS, Mr Senthilkumar, had a strong passion for responsible manufacturing and sustainability. My father forayed into wind energy through our own windmills back in the year 2000. He also has a great passion for afforestation, which led to us planting 7,000 neem trees in our 35-acre farmland.
Greenhome has a specific focus on sustainable home textiles, mainly bedlinens, which is the key difference between BKS and Greenhome. However, on the macro level, both BKS and Greenhome are driven by the same ethos and values.
Innovation is a key pillar of your company. How do you foster a culture of innovation within Greenhome Furnishings, and can you give us an example of a recent innovation?
At Greenhome, we keep abreast with latest happenings in the textile industry and are in constant look out for latest innovations in sustainable raw materials, processes etc, which we try to implement and adopt. We have a B2B brand called Ekoscious which is a range of home textiles made with sustainable raw materials like Rpet, linen, hemp, bamboo, Tencel etc. We are coming up with 2 more collections during Heimtextil 2025 under Ekoscious.
Your company places significant emphasis on creating intellectual property around sustainability. Can you elaborate on the specific IPs or trademarks Greenhome has developed in this area?
As mentioned earlier, we have a B2B brand called Ekoscious, which is a registered trademark. Under Ekoscious, we offer bedlinen products made of various sustainable raw materials, and we intend to keep adding sustainable products.
How does Greenhome’s approach to circular economy principles differentiate you from other players in the sustainable textile space?
At Greenhome, we have an AWE-inspiring sustainability roadmap, where A stands for Afforestation, W – Women empowerment, and E – Energy efficiency.
Can you talk about the key partnerships you have forged with customers, suppliers, or other stakeholders, and how these align with your mission of sustainability?
At Greenhome, our customers are oriented towards sustainability and ethical manufacturing, and the relationship is enduring as it is based on values and not only on price. We work with selected suppliers and vendors who have the required environmental and social compliances. We have frequent training sessions where our employees are oriented and reiterated towards company’s core values and principles.
You mention a strong commitment to high quality standards. What processes or measures are in place to ensure the consistent quality of your products?
We have a well-qualified team to take care of quality assurance and control. We have a well laid down quality plan and policy for each product category which is being followed diligently and frequent trainings for the team helps as well.
What are the key challenges you face as a company striving to lead in the sustainable textile industry, and how do you overcome them?
The cost of compliance is the main challenge we face. The product prices do not always make up for the compliance cost we incur, and this is quite a challenge.
In your mission to be forerunners in sustainable textiles, what upcoming projects or initiatives are you most excited about at Greenhome Furnishings?
As mentioned earlier, we have an AWE-inspiring sustainability roadmap, and we have further plans to improve in the areas of afforestation, women empowerment and energy efficiency.
Looking ahead, how do you envision Greenhome Furnishings evolving in the next five years in terms of sustainable innovations and market positioning?
We are confident of becoming a well-known supplier in the space of sustainable textiles in the next five years as all our efforts, marketing strategy, product strategy etc are focused on this.
