This Indore based couple came up with one of a kind ‘Mosquito Repellent’ Clothing, in a super affordable price. All details inside.

Mosquitoes in India are a menace and no-one would disagree to this. No matter how many poisonous mosquito coils or liquids we burn off, there’s no getting rid of these blood sucking brats, unless obviously you are on top of Bhurj Khalifa. Well, who knows there might be mosquitoes there too. Haha, we are kidding! On a serious note though, when babies are involved, the use of mosquito-repellent creams, lotions, and patches is a thought that cringes every parent.

Recently Godrej came up with a mosquito repellent roll-on for clothes, we are pretty sure most Indian parents still don’t approve of these roll ons. A couple facing the same issue with their kids, thought of an excellent way to fight mosquitoes. Let’s face it, parents can’t be around kids all the time fanning off mosquitoes. They came up with a proprietary process that binds a 100 percent active insect-repellent ingredient into the fibre of the fabric. Here’s what they did.

Shreshtha and Mayur Malpani a couple based in Indore with a background in Textile Engineering & manufacturing came up with their firm, ‘Clothing Innovation’, in the year 2017. Since its inception, Clothing Innovation has come up with a patent-pending formula called Armour Insect Repellent Technology, which “factory treats” fabrics to ensure “they repel insects like mosquitoes, flies, ticks, chiggers, ants and no-see-ums”.

What made them to think on these lines was when they had their first child two years ago, and were perplexed with how poisonous insect repellent creams and lotions are.

Mayur, who has a degree in textile engineering from Sri Vaishnav Institute of Engineering, Indore, and a master’s degree in product designing & global marketing from Virginia Commonwealth University, began working with a market research firm in Bengaluru. He eventually moved to a manufacturing firm in Indore before launching Clothing Innovation. Shreshtha has an MBA degree from SCMLD, Pune, along with an experience of working in the banking sector and the apparel manufacturing sector. When put together, these two came up with a brilliant innovation.

First off, what’s Nanotechnology?

Generally, when people talk about nanotechnology, they mean structures of the size 100 nanometers or smaller. There are one million nanometers in a millimeter. Nanotechnology tries to make materials or machines of that size.

How is nanotechnology being used for fabrics?

Scientists are using nano-particles to enhance your clothing. By coating fabrics with a thin layer of zinc oxide nano-particles, manufacturers can create clothes that give better protection from UV radiation. Some clothes have nano-particles in the form of little hair or whiskers that help repel water and other materials, making the clothing stain-resistant.

What’s Shreshtha and Mayur’s start-up all about?

The startup ‘Clothing Innovation’, is all about treating fabrics, by developing an active ingredient derived from a synthetic form of insect repellent found in specific flowers. When the solution containing this active ingredient is applied using nanotechnology, it completely binds it to the fabric. As a result, the ingredient cannot be washed off entirely. Whenever there is an insect, the active ingredient works as a heating layer on the fabric, which repels all insects. What’s interesting is, the fact that this technology can be incorporated to all fabrics (except silk and velvet).

The venture has the couple investing Rs 25 lakh each. The startup employees over 50 people, including a chain of women workers from local self-help groups.

How reliable is ‘Clothing Innovation’?

After initial idealization, testings, and approval, Mr. Mayur contacted Intertek Labs, which is a US-based international laboratory to certify their product. Since their product adhered to WHO standards, they got a go ahead from the lab. Their startup has also been certified by the Bombay Textile Research Association (BTRA), which declared the product safe and efficient for up to 70 laundry washes.

Let’s quickly take you through some key points about this brand and their products.

1. Strict adherence to safety and protection standards laid down by the WHO
2. The brand designs fabrics with trending prints, treat it with Armour technology, and sell it under their own brand name ‘Armour’.
3. Still in their intial stages for several products, they’ve launched Armour shirts for children from 2-16 years of age.
4. They’ve already launched their brand in the US, through Amazon, and have clocked in a turnover of around Rs 30 lakh in 3.5 months. It makes bedsheets and pillow covers which are insect-repellant, anti-microbial and anti-bacterial.
5. In the 18 months since the startup began selling its products, its made its presence in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, besides partnering with more than 170 retail counters to treat the shirts, jackets, and linen they sell under their brand.
6. The difference between conventional baby clothing found in the market and one protected by Armour technology amounts to almost Rs 100-150 per unit.
7. Among other products, it has sold 50,000 shirts and baby apparel along with 6,800 bed linen products thus far.
8. On an order of 100 pieces, 25-30 pieces are worked upon by ladies
   from local self-help groups who are paid for their services.
9. The initiative also is an attempt to create micro-scale opportunities for SHGs.
10. Clothing Innovation can treat 1,00,000 metres of fabric, and manufacture 25,000 pieces per month.

Currently they are on a lookout for good investors, which obviously is a challenge. Team Indore HD wishes Shreshtha and Mayur all the best for their journey.

One can create awareness about lurking diseases caused by mosquito bites, and how readily available options in the market are extremely harmful, even if the results are instant.

You can watch Mr. Mayur talking about his brand in detail in this video.