Everonn's readymade solution to school uniform woes

It is the season of anxiety for parents. Schools have reopened, but tailors are yet to deliver uniforms.

But by this time next year the uniform troubles may well be stitched up.

Chennai-based Everonn Education Ltd is entering the Rs 15,000-crore school uniform market and will offer “quality readymade sets on time”.

The Rs 425-crore Everonn has the world's largest VSAT-based education network, and will use its links with schools for the uniform business, Mr P. Kishore, Managing Director, said.

School uniform is an unorganised business dominated by neighbourhood tailors. Being a seasonal business, there is pressure on stitching and delivery of uniforms from April to June.

Local tailors are unable to cope with the demand, resulting in delayed delivery and inconsistent quality.

In fact, Ms Latha Varadarajan, a mother of two teenage children, offered to pay a premium to her tailor to get the uniforms on time, but to no avail.

Everonn offers readymade, factory stitched uniforms — a service that does not exist today, said Mr Kishore. The company offers a complete solution to schools — from selection of patterns and colours, fabric, creating designs to ensuring quality uniforms.

Everonn-made uniforms are available for select schools in Chennai. These can be bought at retail stores. A uniform set costs between Rs 500 and Rs 650. Everonn did a pilot project last year and entered the business in a big way from the current academic year.

Huge market

The market is large as every child gets at least two sets of uniforms every year. A school of 1,000 students will require basic uniforms ranging from Rs 7 lakh to 10 lakh a year, Mr Kishore told Business Line .

“We see the uniform business growing in the next three years to be one of Everonn's most significant areas of operation,” he said.

Everonn has set up a process to ensure that all students get uniforms of the right size by taking into account the children's growth in the next year.

While direct sale via schools will be Everonn's main channel, the company also sees an opportunity to introduce a national school uniform brand that will be available through a retail network.

Everonn will outsource manufacturing to multiple units with which it has tie-ups to stitch the uniforms between January and May. The school sportswear business extends up to July.

“Currently, the company operates in the South. But once we move to the North, winter uniforms will offer a second season in the year,” Mr Kishore added.

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