Kariwala
Kariwala Industries Ltd., founded 1989 in Kolkata, is a privately held B2B manufacturer of custom sustainable bags (jute, cotton, RPET) and garments (uniforms, industrial workwear, PPE, anti-cut) serving 500+ global retail and fashion brands across six continents with certified ethical, low-carbon production.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersKolkata, India
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Kariwala does
Kariwala Industries Ltd. is a privately held, family-run B2B manufacturer founded in 1989 and headquartered in Kolkata, India. The company produces custom-designed sustainable bags (jute, cotton, RPET, canvas) and a diversified garment portfolio spanning industrial workwear, uniforms (healthcare, hospitality, retail, beauty), corporate identity clothing, personal protective equipment (PPE), anti-cut garments, and fashion wear. Manufacturing is conducted across multiple facilities in India (Kolkata HQ, Falta Special Economic Zone, and the 100% woman-run Kalyani plant opened in 2015) and Sri Lanka (factory opened in 2000), with 51–100 employees and a workforce that is 70% female.
Underlying technology combines CAD-driven fabric cutting (since 1999, using Lectra), robotic production machinery aimed at reducing energy consumption by 25%, and 80% digitization of internal processes via smartphone/tablet workflows. Operational sustainability infrastructure includes 65% renewable electricity (124,000 kWh/year from solar), 6,000 KL of annual rainwater harvesting, 99% waste diversion from landfill, and a 2025-launched NFC-enabled Digital Product Passport for full lifecycle traceability. The company holds a dense stack of international certifications — ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001, ISO 27001, OHSAS 18001, GOTS, OEKO-TEX Standard 100, Fairtrade, GRS, Sedex, amfori BSCI, WRAP, LEEDS Gold, and Disney FAMA — that function as supplier pre-qualification for global retail and fashion buyers.
The business model is OEM/ODM contract manufacturing priced on a quote basis with multi-year B2B contracts and minimum order quantities around 3,000 meters per fabric composition/color. Revenue streams are organized into three lines: custom bag manufacturing, garments and workwear manufacturing, and sustainable fashion accessories. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales serving 500+ brands and 100+ global brand partners across Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, Oceania, and South America, with named customers including Morrisons, Lidl, Ahorramas, French and UK supermarket chains, L'Oreal (Solidarity Sourcing), Zara Life, and Disney-licensed merchandise programs. The company has an adjacent wholly-owned IT subsidiary, ExcellenceTech, providing web, cloud, and mobile app services.
Kariwala firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kariwala
- Legal name
- Kariwala Industries Ltd.
- Website
- https://kariwala.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Kariwala Industries Ltd., founded 1989 in Kolkata, is a privately held B2B manufacturer of custom sustainable bags (jute, cotton, RPET) and garments (uniforms, industrial workwear, PPE, anti-cut) serving 500+ global retail and fashion brands across six continents with certified ethical, low-carbon production.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kariwala industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Textile Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Textile Bag and Canvas Mills (314910), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)
- SIC
- Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial Sacks & Bags (Paper/Plastic/Woven) (IMALAGAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Chemical-Resistant & Hazardous Materials Protective Clothing (CRAAALAI)
Keywords
Where Kariwala is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kolkata
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices4 records
Markets served
Kariwala business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Custom Bags Manufacturing: Manufactures custom-designed sustainable bags including jute, cotton, and other eco-friendly materials tailored to client branding and functional needs
- Garments & Workwear Manufacturing: Produces Industrial Workwear, Corporate Identity Clothing, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and Fashion Garments on a made-to-order basis
- Sustainable Fashion Accessories: Produces eco-friendly fashion accessories with ethical craftsmanship
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | B2B Manufacturing Services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Kariwala product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kariwala Industries Limited manufactures custom-designed eco-friendly bags (jute, cotton, RPET, and other sustainable materials) and precision garments including industrial workwear, uniforms, anti-cut protective apparel, corporate identity clothing, PPE, and fashion wear on a made-to-order basis. The company supplies these products on a B2B OEM/ODM basis to global retail brands, fashion companies, and industrial customers across six continents, leveraging multiple international sustainability and quality certifications.
Product overview
Kariwala Industries Limited operates as an eco-friendly and sustainable bags and garments manufacturer offering a diversified portfolio of products. The core offerings include Sustainable Bags (custom jute, cotton, and other eco-friendly bags) and Precision Garments (encompassing Uniforms for healthcare/hospitality/retail/beauty, Industrial Workwear, Anti-Cut Garments, and Fashion Wear), along with Corporate Identity Clothing, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and Sustainable Fashion Accessories. The company provides OEM/ODM services and operates manufacturing facilities in India (Kalyani, Falta SEZ) and Sri Lanka. Founded in 1989, the company serves 500+ global brand partners across six continents with a focus on ethical manufacturing and sustainability.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sustainable Bags Custom-designed eco-friendly bags manufactured in jute, cotton, RPET, and other sustainable materials, tailored to client branding and functional needs. Includes grocery bags, tote bags, fashion bags, canvas bags, and foldable styles produced under GOTS, Fairtrade, GRS, and OEKO-TEX standards for global retail brands and supermarket chains.
- Precision Garments Comprehensive made-to-order garment manufacturing covering uniforms, industrial workwear, anti-cut protective garments, and fashion wear for healthcare, hospitality, retail, beauty, and industrial customers. Emphasizes durability, functionality, fit, and high-quality workmanship with safety and comfort focus.
- Uniforms
Companies that use Kariwala
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Kariwala technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature7 records
Kariwala partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- L'Oreal Solidarity Sourcing ProgramcoreKariwala joined L'Oreal's Solidarity Sourcing Program, demonstrating commitment to ethical and sustainable manufacturing practices valued by global beauty brands
- Zara LifecorePartnership with Zara Life for sustainable fashion production, aligning with fast fashion brand's sustainability initiatives
- Friends of Tribal SocietyminorKariwala works closely with Friends of Tribal Society including education sponsorships. Tribal community support helps provide work to 10% of tribal workforce
- SOS Children's Villages of IndiaminorKariwala assists over 6,500 once parentless or abandoned girls and boys in 32 Villages across India through partnership with SOS Children's Villages
- Do-Sar SourcingminorEuropean sourcing company sourcing sustainable workwear and bags from Kariwala, providing testimonial for fast and reliable production
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kariwala competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Trident Group:
- Arvind Limited: Indian textile conglomerate spanning denim, woven fabrics, knit fabrics, and branded apparel retail. A much larger established player with similar B2B fabric and garment manufacturing capabilities but operating across a far broader portfolio.
- Welspun India: One of India's largest textile manufacturers in home textiles and towels with global retail brand customers including major US and European chains. Provides scale and vertical integration that Kariwala cannot match but in adjacent categories with overlapping customer archetype.
Direct peers
- Jutexpo: UK-based manufacturer specializing in jute and eco-friendly bags sold to major UK retailers. Most direct product-line overlap with Kariwala's sustainable bag business serving similar European supermarket and brand customers with comparable GOTS/Fairtrade positioning.
- Eco-Bags Products: US-based reusable bag manufacturer and brand competing directly in the eco-friendly bag category with retail and promotional customer base. Comparable product mix (cotton/canvas totes and reusable bags) and shared sustainability positioning as Kariwala.
- Pratibha Syntex: Indian sustainable textile manufacturer focused on organic cotton, recycled fibers, and circular fashion for global brands. Competes head-to-head with Kariwala in sustainability-certified apparel manufacturing with similar GOTS/BSCI certifications and European customer base.
- Loyal Textiles Mills: Indian vertically integrated textile and garment manufacturer with export-oriented B2B model serving global apparel and workwear customers. Comparable product breadth across garments and textiles, similar India-based operations, though at larger revenue scale than Kariwala.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kariwala social profiles
Digital presenceKariwala compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance29 records
Kariwala financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kariwala leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Kariwala subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Kariwala funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kariwala M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kariwala
What does Kariwala do?
Kariwala Industries Limited manufactures custom-designed eco-friendly bags (jute, cotton, RPET, and other sustainable materials) and precision garments including industrial workwear, uniforms, anti-cut protective apparel, corporate identity clothing, PPE, and fashion wear on a made-to-order basis. The company supplies these products on a B2B OEM/ODM basis to global retail brands, fashion companies, and industrial customers across six continents, leveraging multiple international sustainability and quality certifications.
Is Kariwala a public or private company?
Kariwala is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Kariwala founded?
Kariwala was founded in 1989. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Kariwala based?
Kariwala is headquartered in Kolkata, India, in the Asia region.
How does Kariwala make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Custom Bags Manufacturing is the primary driver. The others are garments & Workwear Manufacturing and sustainable Fashion Accessories.
Who are Kariwala's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Trident Group, Arvind Limited and Welspun India. Direct peers are Jutexpo, Eco-Bags Products, Pratibha Syntex and Loyal Textiles Mills.
Does Kariwala have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kariwala.
What industry is Kariwala in?
Kariwala's product category is Sustainable Textile Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMALAGAD, Industrial Sacks & Bags (Paper/Plastic/Woven), with a secondary code of CRAAALAI, Chemical-Resistant & Hazardous Materials Protective Clothing. Its NAICS code is 314910 and its SIC code is 2300.