Upasana Auroville

What Upasana Auroville does

Upasana Auroville (legally Upasana Design Studio) is a sustainable and conscious fashion brand founded in 1997 by Uma Prajapati Haimavati in Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India. The company designs and produces apparel and lifestyle goods — including dresses, jackets, co-ord sets, and a yoga edit — using traditional Indian textile techniques such as Khadi, Jamdani, Ikat, and Kalamkari, and natural or herbal dyeing methods. It operates sub-brands and collections including KORA, Paruthi (organic cotton), Tsunamika, SmallSteps, Varanasi Weavers, Kapas, the Earthly carbon-negative line, Natural Indigo, Sacred Dark, and the Shakti Collective.

The business runs on a hybrid model: direct-to-consumer sales via a Shopify e-commerce site, two owned physical studios (the Auroville Design Studio and Janaki in Puducherry), and curated multi-brand retail partnerships (FFolio and Gonative in Bengaluru; One Zero Eight in Kochi), plus a UK presence through the Belvoir Castle collaboration. Pricing spans INR 660 to INR 43,200 across product tiers. Ancillary revenue streams include bulk/wholesale orders and workshops and educational experiences for schools, colleges, and corporates.

Upasana is bootstrapped, founder-owned, and operates with approximately 15 employees. It has received the Government of India Award of Excellence and UNESCO recognition, and sustains an ecosystem of social-impact programs (Tsunamika artisan dolls, Varanasi Weavers, Kapas cotton farmers, SmallSteps schoolwear) that anchor its brand authenticity. No external funding has been disclosed and revenue is not publicly reported.

Name

Upasana Auroville

Legal name

Upasana Design Studio

Website

https://upasana.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Upasana Auroville is a bootstrapped, founder-owned sustainable fashion brand founded in 1997 in Auroville, India, designing apparel using traditional textiles and natural dyes, and selling through DTC e-commerce, owned studios, and curated multi-brand retail partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Apparel

NAICS

Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (45811), Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers (458), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Merchant Wholesalers (42435)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Women's Clothing Stores (5621), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable / Ethical Apparel & Accessories Wholesale (CRAOADAJ)

Keywords

• Sustainable apparel
• Handloom textiles
• Organic cotton clothing
• Natural dye garments
• Conscious fashion

Headquarters

HQ city

Auroville

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: One-time product sales through owned Shopify e-commerce store with prices ranging from ₹660 to ₹43,200 INR for garments, accessories, and gift items. Products include dresses, jackets, co-ord sets, yoga wear, and conscious gifting items.
2. Wholesale/Bulk Orders: Special bulk pricing for retail partners purchasing for store resale. Small orders welcomed, contact via [email protected].
3. Physical Retail: Retail sales through company-owned stores in Auroville (Upasana Design Studio) and Puducherry (Janaki, House of Auroville), plus multi-brand retail partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Upasana Auroville designs, manufactures, and retails handcrafted sustainable apparel and accessories made from organic cotton, Khadi, silk, and linen using traditional Indian textile techniques (Jamdani, Ikat, Kalamkari) and herbal/natural dyeing. Core sellable offerings include dresses, jackets, coordinated sets, organic yoga wear, conscious gifting items, and accessories, distributed through an owned Shopify e-commerce store, company-operated retail in Auroville and Puducherry, multi-brand partners in Bengaluru and Kochi, and a wholesale bulk-orders channel for retail resellers.

Product overview

Upasana Design Studio is a conscious fashion brand based in Auroville, Tamil Nadu, founded in 1997, offering handcrafted sustainable clothing through multiple collections. The core offerings include Dresses (midi, long, jumpsuits in organic cotton, Khadi, silk), Jackets (Tussar silk, Kalamkari, Khadi with traditional techniques), Upasana Sets (coordinated outfits with jackets, tops, pants, scarves), and Accessories (upcycled bags, pouches, scarves). The brand features specialized sub-collections including KORA (virgin cotton basics), Yoga Edit (organic yoga wear), Earthly (herbal-dyed carbon-negative clothing), Natural Indigo (naturally dyed garments), Sacred Dark (black garments), Shakti Collective (red and white Indian textiles), and Belvoir Collection (UK showcase). Supporting social initiatives include Tsunamika (fisherwomen dolls), SmallSteps (eco bags), Varanasi Weavers, and Kapas (organic cotton). The company operates as an e-commerce platform via Shopify and welcomes bulk/retail partner orders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tsunamika: Symbol of hope project providing livelihood to fisherwomen, started as tsunami trauma counselling effort. Tsunamika dolls sent to over 80 countries
• SmallSteps
• Kapas
• Varanasi Weavers
• Paruthi
• Janaki

Products and services

• Dresses Collection Range of dresses including midi dresses, long dresses, jumpsuits, panelled craft dresses, and IKAT woven styles in various fabrics like organic cotton, Khadi, silk, and linen, sold direct to conscious consumers.
• Jackets Collection Long and short jackets in Tussar silk, Kalamkari, Khadi cotton, and Jamdani featuring hand-painted, hand-embroidered, and temple border designs for conscious consumers.
• Upasana Sets Coordinated multi-piece outfit sets combining jackets, tops, pants, skirts, and scarves priced INR 17,400 to INR 43,200, designed for slow living, travel, and conscious fashion consumers.
• Yoga Edit Organic cotton yoga sets available in multiple configurations (duo, trio, ultra) with tops, shorts, leggings, and pants offered at prices INR 4,704 to INR 20,280, including seasonal sale pricing.
• KORA Virgin cotton sub-collection featuring pure, simple conscious clothing pieces in white and off-white organic cotton and Khadi, including Kora Jamdani dress sets.
• Upasana Accessories Handcrafted accessories including upcycled shopping bags (Arainila, Rooh), pouches, hair clips, Tsunamika pencils, scarves, and SmallSteps foldable bags, priced from INR 660 for fabric headbands.
• Earthly Collection Herbal-dyed garments using plant-based processes to produce carbon-negative clothing made from organic materials free from micro-plastics and harsh chemicals, designed for conscious consumers.
• Natural Indigo Collection Garments crafted using natural indigo dyeing techniques on Khadi and cotton fabrics, featuring Jamdani and pintuck detailing.
• Sacred Dark Collection Black-toned garments featuring linen, organic cotton, and upcycled silk in contemporary silhouettes and festive styles, including Zari occasionwear sets.
• Shakti Collective Red and white themed collection celebrating Indian textile heritage with Jamdani, Kora Khadi, and temple border designs.
• Belvoir Collection Curated collection of Upasana's most cherished pieces showcased at Belvoir Castle in the UK, rooted in mindful craftsmanship and timeless elegance for international conscious consumers.
• Conscious Gifting Ethical and natural clothing gift sets including SmallSteps foldable bags, silk scarf gift boxes, upcycled bags, and educational games for conscious gift-giving consumers.
• Bulk Orders (Wholesale Program) B2B wholesale program offering special pricing for retail partners purchasing for store resale; small orders welcomed, contacted via [email protected].

Quantifiable outcome

• 5+ million Tsunamika dolls distributed to 80+ countries
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Conscious Clothing Circle of AurovillecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021New integrated brand stewarding initiative stepping into future of conscious clothing, positioning Auroville as living laboratory for conscious fashion.
• Paruthi (Organic Cotton Brand)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011India's local organic brand to support India's organic farming community, launched when Upasana took leap to 100% organic Paruthi (cotton in Tamil).
• Kapas (Madurai Cotton Farmers)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Organic cotton project promoting families of Madurai and other cotton communities of Tamil Nadu. Project uplifted organic cotton farming which had declined due to modern cotton farming methods.
• SmallStepsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Upasana's outreach initiative creating compact bags as an alternative to plastic bags, taking design to solve environmental crisis, empowering women, making India green, inspiring youth, and creating a social business.
• Varanasi Weavers CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Upasana began working with weavers community in Varanasi (Benares) in 2006, later introducing a brand called 'Varanasi Weavers.' Project encourages weavers to continue weaving while Upasana provides social intervention, design, communication solutions and marketing support. Granted special recognition by UNESCO.
• Tsunamika (Fisherwomen Community)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Tsunamika was born as a symbol of hope for tsunami victims, providing livelihood to fisherwomen. Started as trauma counselling effort after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, today over 5 million Tsunamika dolls are made and sent to over 80 countries. Raw material came from industrial waste and over 600 women were taught to make them. Runs on gift economy - never sold, only given.
• FFolio (Bengaluru)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMulti-brand retail partner located at Vittal Malya Road, Bengaluru, reselling Upasana products.
• Gonative (Bengaluru)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMulti-brand retail partner located at Lavelle Road, Bengaluru, reselling Upasana products.
• One Zero Eight by Save the Loom (Kochi)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRetail partner in Kochi focused on handloom preservation, now also carrying Upasana products.
• Emma (Belvoir Castle)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurated collection collaboration bringing Upasana's cherished pieces to showcase at Belvoir Castle in the UK, curated by Emma for international audience.
• Schools, Colleges, Design Institutions, Corporate GroupsminorOthersGroup sessions offered to educational institutions and corporate groups on conscious fashion, sustainability, craft revival, and social innovation, customized on request with minimum 12-15 participants.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Fabindia: India's largest heritage handloom and organic apparel and home retailer with pan-India retail. Significantly larger and broader than Upasana, but overlaps heavily on Khadi, organic cotton, and artisan supply chain narratives.
• Good Earth: Indian sustainable luxury lifestyle brand offering apparel, home, and wellness with a craft-revival positioning. Comparable on conscious luxury aesthetics but operates at substantially larger scale and broader category footprint than Upasana.
• Grassroot by Anita Dongre: Sustainability-focused sub-line of Anita Dongre using handwoven textiles and artisan partnerships. Closest comparable within the Anita Dongre house to Upasana's handloom, artisan-driven positioning.

Direct peers

• Doodlage: Indian sustainable fashion brand specializing in upcycled and waste-fabric garments. Overlaps with Upasana on circularity, conscious positioning, and DTC channel mix, though focused on upcycling rather than handloom heritage.
• No Nasties: Indian organic-cotton fair-trade fashion brand selling direct-to-consumer basics and womenswear. Comparable to Upasana on organic cotton sourcing, ethical positioning, and DTC distribution.
• 11.11 / Eleven Eleven: Indian slow-fashion label by Aaquib Wani focused on handloom and natural-dyed womenswear with a conscious positioning. Similar in scale, traditional craft integration, and premium pricing to Upasana.
• Nicobar: Indian conscious lifestyle brand extending from apparel into home and travel, founded out of the Good Earth group. Comparable to Upasana on conscious positioning, premium pricing, and storytelling-led brand architecture.
• Pero: Indian designer label by Aneeth Arora producing handloom-led, slow-fashion womenswear using traditional Indian textile techniques. Closely comparable to Upasana in heritage textile focus, premium positioning, and DTC-plus-boutique distribution.

Others

• Anita Dongre: Established Indian fashion designer house with sustainability-led sub-brands (Grassroot) emphasizing artisan craft. Comparable to Upasana on Indian textile heritage and artisan empowerment but operates at far larger scale with broader distribution.

Emerging players

• Tjikko: Indian sustainable streetwear brand using organic fabrics with a conscious-fashion positioning. Comparable to Upasana on organic materials and ethical positioning, but serves a younger, unisex streetwear customer rather than heritage womenswear.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=6BDmkBc4Q_c
• Facebookfacebook.com/upasanaindia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upasana-design-studio
• Instagraminstagram.com/upasana.auroville

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Upasana Auroville