Nitrite wants track suits to be its core category

Three-year-old brand Nitrite, which focuses primarily on T-shirts and fabrics, launched track suits this winter. Usually for most companies, track suits are add on but Nitrite has decided to position them upfront. In fact, it plans to have track suits as one-third of the brand’s business. With a firm plan ahead, the company is looking at growing 25 per cent in 2016.

On the right track

The track suits have been designed with different types of fabrics and there are six collections. Each of fabric is aimed at a different performance and application. So, there are track suits for high winter, for rugged terrain as well as for all weather applications - summer to winter. From light to heavy, cool to hot, the materials used offer a wide variety. There are two trans-seasonal fabrics. One is a polyester cotton blended which is a double layered fabric. The face of the fabric is totally polyester. It is feel dry treated fabric. It can absorb sweat and moisture. The other face of the fabric is the poly cotton blend. It gives stability with a cotton look. It has a mélange look on the surface. Both sides have absorbency. The other fabric is 100 per cent polyester light weight agility fabric. This is the agility collection. It is moisture absorbent. The wearer will feel comfortable and agile. The feel is light despite the double layer. They are big sellers on Snapdeal, Amazon, Jabong, Flipkart. Soon, they will be available on Myntra and Paytm. For Nitrite, online gives 50 per cent of the business.

Nitrite, is essentially a knitwear company, which is strong in sports fabrics and sportswear is a big thing. It is a value added partner for big global brands such as Adidas, Puma and Reebok. And Varun Mittal, Director, Nitrite, says, “We want track suits to be our core category.”

Fabrics the basis for designs

Fashion fabrics are not only about a few yarns and processes. Multiple permutations and combinations of a variety of yarns go into many value addition processes and different types of finishes. When each of them is combined in a different permutation, a different look, drape and feel of the fabric emerges. Nitrite does both eco and fashion options. Even polyester, which was seen as a non eco-friendly product some 15-20 years ago, today has innovative variants like recycled polyester. Mittal explains, “We have done a lot of recycled polyester specialised fabrics for brands like Adidas. This helps in the promotion of a brand as eco-friendly by using 100 per cent polyester that’s non-biodegradable.”

Presently, a lot of change has come into the type of fabrics. International brands are bringing in changes in fabric with of textured looks such as slubs, jacquard, melange, linen and so on. “They give a totally different look, feel, structure to the fabric. I think this will be the biggest inspiration for 2016,” says Mittal.