With the global fashion industry’s growing focus on man-made fibres (MMFs), Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is playing a prominent role in their development. Its R|Elan™ brand, renowned for its strong R&D and innovation, actively supports the industry through cutting-edge fibres. These fibres not only enhance consumer experience but also address the increasing demand for eco-responsible solutions. Recognising the textile industry’s waste generation challenge, RIL boasts one of the largest research facilities dedicated to polyester product and application development. This hub fosters collaboration between innovators, process experts and designers, aiming to find innovative solutions to reduce textile waste.
In an exclusive interview with Apparel Resources, Rakesh Bali, Senior Vice President and Head Marketing, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) discussed about R|Elan™’s strengths, its commitment to sustainability, the role of RIL’s ‘Hub Excellence Partners (HEP)’ program in transforming the fashion ecosystem and more. Here are the excerpts.
AR: How has R|Elan™ influenced the thriving Indian apparel retail? What, according to you, drives the uniqueness of your latest offerings like R|Elan and HEXaREL?
Rakesh Bali: As world leaders in petrochemicals and polyester, at Reliance, we are committed to enabling our downstream textile industries to compete globally. Our cutting-edge fibres and yarn technologies, together with our state-of-the-art R&D and robust testing systems, have been instrumental in creating specially engineered products like R|Elan™ and HEXaREL™. These smart fabrics have been designed to enhance comfort and aesthetics and are emerging as the most sought-after fabrics by renowned domestic and global brands, retailers and apparel manufacturers.
R|Elan™ is Fabric 2.0 – the fabric of the future. Going beyond mere functionality, R|Elan™ Fabric 2.0 not only enhances the consumer experience but also addresses the growing demand for eco-responsibility. Standing out prominently in the aspects of ‘Care and Maintenance’ and ‘Recycling’ within a garment’s life cycle, R|Elan™ emerges as the epitome of sustainability. It offers an ideal fabric solution that aligns seamlessly with current and future trends, whether it be activewear, western and ethnic attire, or the creation of durable, eco-friendly trousers and denims. In addition, our latest offering – HEXaREL™ enhanced fabrics – provides a unique combination of extraordinary properties never seen before together in a single fabric/garment. This superlative combination of advantages makes fabrics/garments multifunctional, responsive and adaptive.
| “As a trailblazing force in the industry, Reliance is steadfast in its pursuit of generating opportunities for value addition and pioneering new technologies to benefit our customers. Boasting one of the most expansive research facilities dedicated to polyester product and application development, we prioritise innovation. Within our state-of- the-art R&D centres, a team of scientists and engineers tirelessly collaborates to devise cutting-edge technologies and processes, all aimed at elevating the overall end consumer experience”. Rakesh Bali Vice President and Head Marketing, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) |
AR: R|Elan has partnered with textile players to produce innovative fabrics. What are the latest and upcoming developments taking place in this direction?
Rakesh Bali: R|Elan™ Fabric 2.0 range has been specially engineered to address many of consumers’ latent and emerging needs and currently includes:
Kooltex, a special fabric with inherent moisture management mechanism that keeps the wearer cool and dry. The permanent wicking mechanism ensures that sweat is transported to garment’s outer surface faster, spread over a larger area and evaporated quickly. Enhanced breathability and comfort are the hallmarks of R|Elan™ Kooltex fabrics.
Feelfresh is a high-performance fabric that limits bad odour in garments even after extended usage in demanding conditions. The unique silver nanoparticle technology limits the growth of microbes and bacteria, giving it lasting anti-odour properties. It also reduces the need for frequent washing – saving water, electricity, energy and time besides extending the life and look of the garment.
Superfeel is made from one of the finest fibres in the world, lending an unparalleled feel and touch. This feather-touch fabric creates a luxurious aesthetic and enhanced drape in high-end formal and casualwear. Thinner diameter of fibres make the fabric super-fine.
GreenGold powered by R|Elan™ Fabric 2.0 are fabrics with high eco-credentials. They are made from recycling post-consumer PET bottles through renewable energy sources and have one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world. Green Gold fabric can be made from pre-coloured fibres which remove the need for downstream dyeing, achieving massive savings in water, energy and chemicals. Fibre-to-garment traceability can also be provided for the discerning consumer. R|Elan™ GreenGold also offers an enhanced whiteness in its recycled portfolio. It gives a superior whiteness index that enables it to be ideal for making fabric in light and pastel shades available across a wide range of applications.
FreeFlow is a fluid fabric that creates exquisite, flowy ethnic and westernwear for women. It helps accentuate the figure and beauty of the wearer through phenomenal drape and fall. Womenswear fabric such as georgette, chiffon, satin, brasso etc., are made possible through FreeFlow technology. The fabric is constructed with specially engineered fibres that give enhanced touch and feel.
R|Elan™ fabrics combine, in perfect proportions, functionality and fashion. The fabrics are high-performance, aesthetically superior and highly eco-sensitive and straddle across all major apparel segments such as activewear, denim, formalwear and womenswear. These operations, products and applications are the first-of-its-kind in scale and range.
R|Elan™ has been regularly collaborating with leading designers like Anita Dongre, Pankaj & Nidhi, Varun Behl, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Abraham & Thakore, Payal Singhal to make sustainable fabrics even desirable at the consumer level and promote the concept of circular economy in the textile industry.
AR: RIL’s ‘Hub Excellence Partners (HEP) program’ has been a successful collaboration. What are the program’s latest updates and achievements?
Rakesh Bali: Reliance Industries is actively spearheading Hub Excellence Partners (HEP) to fortify its entire value chain, emphasising the standardisation of manufacturing processes through the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies and industry best practices. In a strategic move, RIL has collaborated with over 50 key industry players, empowering them to produce innovative fabrics using R|Elan™ technologies.
Under the HEP program, RIL extends its latest expertise, specifications and expert consultation to augment and sustain the quality of textiles destined for apparel manufacturers. The HEP initiative is designed not only to fortify the quality of the end product but also to create substantial value for partners across all tiers of the value chain. This initiative aligns seamlessly with our motto of bringing a smile to the end consumer’s face.
This robust pan-India network ensures a seamless production process, adhering to timelines and maintaining consistent quality, providing brands and retailers with the assurance of a reliable and efficient supply chain.
| R|ElanTM is Fabric 2.0 – the fabric of the future. Going beyond mere functionality, R|ElanTM Fabric 2.0 not only enhances the consumer experience but also addresses the growing demand for eco- responsibility. Standing out prominently in the aspects of ‘Care and Maintenance’ and ‘Recycling’ within a garment’s life cycle, R|ElanTM emerges as the epitome of sustainability. |
AR: With R|Elan™ already leading in sustainability through recycled PET bottles, what are the future plans and initiatives in this area?
Rakesh Bali: R|Elan™ has a unique range of sustainable fabrics that help apparel brands create special eco-friendly apparel, thereby enabling the ‘green fashion’ movement across the industry. Our GreenGold range is made from recycling post-consumer PET bottles. R|Elan™ EcoGold fabrics copy nature’s biodegradation process. These are coloured fabrics using a polymer stage, dope dyeing process. This provides much superior properties to conventional dyeing and offers tremendous eco-savings. Each unit of polyester saves 10 per cent of energy consumption, 85 per cent water and 100 per cent harmful chemicals, when we dope-dye it instead of normal dyeing. Evaluated on a cradle-to-grave lifecycle analysis, polyester is clearly one of the most environment-friendly fibres and we at Reliance have imparted it with the characteristics of natural fibres to make the perfect fibre for all applications.
The various technologies that power R|Elan fabrics not only give them functionality but also ensure they contribute something back to Mother Earth. Hence sustainability through R|Elan encompasses both business and environmental longevity. This follows Reliance’s philosophy of inclusive growth and increased value to the end consumer.
AR: Reliance’s R&D team has been working on a circularity initiative to recover PET intact from textile fabric waste. What is the most recent progress with regard to this technological development?
Rakesh Bali: As a trailblazing force in the industry, Reliance is steadfast in its pursuit of generating opportunities for value addition and pioneering new technologies to benefit our customers. Boasting one of the most expansive research facilities dedicated to polyester product and application development, we prioritise innovation. Within our state-of-the-art R&D centres, a team of scientists and engineers tirelessly collaborate to devise cutting-edge technologies and processes, all aimed at elevating the overall end consumer experience.
Notably, RIL has established R&D facilities at each of its manufacturing sites, complemented by a robust R&D hub situated at the Reliance Corporate Park in Navi Mumbai. These collective research endeavours extend beyond product innovation; they also address environmental concerns by actively seeking solutions to minimise waste generated within the textile and fashion industry.
AR: In what ways is RIL actively fostering circularity and sustainability within the fashion value chain?
Rakesh Bali: R|Elan introduced the ‘Circular Design Challenge (CDC)’, an innovative initiative, five years ago. The vision behind this challenge was to instil a heightened awareness of sustainability and circular practices across all aspects of the fashion industry. This groundbreaking effort fostered a dynamic partnership between RIL, the UN in India and Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI and they all came together to champion transformative ideals in fashion.
Over the past five years, the CDC has recognised and supported outstanding winners who integrate fashion with environmentally friendly innovations. Notable examples include I Was A Sari, which upcycles discarded sarees, empowering women artisans; Malai Biomaterials Design, which creates sustainable alternatives to leather; Bandit, which masters the art of upcycling diverse materials into eco-friendly products; and Pieux, which focuses on recycled materials and modular garment construction.
Furthermore, the platform has nurtured 25 alumni through workshops and networks, contributing to the gradual transformation of the fashion ecosystem.
