The Tamil Nadu Handloom Weavers’
Co-operative Society Ltd popularly known as “Co-optex” was established in the year 1935.
Co-optex has the distinction of being geographically the most spread Apex Society in the country which is making outstanding contribution to Handloom in the country.
Its logo of multihued butterfly is synonymous with quality and fair trade in handloom to its customers. This has been possible because of its large base of highly skilled weavers producing handloom, representing the historic weaving tradition of Tamil Nadu with unmatched aesthetic quality. Today Co-optex not only represents the highest tradition of handloom of Tamilnadu but also a great social cause by providing sustained employment to the weavers of the State
Co-optex is extending marketing support to the affiliated societies. It has 1,057 Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Societies and
197 Powerloom Weavers Co-operative Societies affiliated to it. Co-optex is marketing its products through its own outlets spread across the country, thus creating continuous employment opportunities to the Handloom weavers’ families in the co-operative sector.
Co-optex is having the following objectives:-
1) Creating continuous employment opportunities for handloom weavers.
2) Extending market support to Weavers’ Co-operative Societies and popularizing Handloom products.
3) Developing products that combine tradition and fashion to meet the changing demand of customers.
4) Implementing various innovative schemes.
Co-optex is marketing various handloom products through its 154 retail outlets spread across the country.
As a part of its activities, Co-optex plays a vital role in implementing various Government schemes by acting as a Nodal Agency.
The Government Schemes implemented by Co-optex are
1. Supply of Sarees and Dhothies for Old Age Pensioners through Revenue Administration Department. The scheme is implemented by Co-optex as Nodal Agency.
2. Dhothy, Saree Distribution Scheme.
3. Cost Free School Uniform Scheme.
Sales Details and Activities
Retail Sales during 2021-2022
Co-optex has achieved a sales of Rs.171.90 Crore during 2021-22. The achievement in sales was the result of multiple initiatives taken, such as continuous procurement throughout the year, modernization of 14 showrooms to improve their aura and ambience, increased design interventions (using NIFT / NID designers) for specific showrooms such as for shirts, Dhothies, Lungies, Organic cotton, export varieties and introduction of new products, as well as continuous motivation and training imparted to all the staff in the 11 Regions.
Co-optex has added large number of young generation customers who are the first time buyers of handloom goods through effective campaigning on Face Book and other social media.
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Sales through Online Portal (E- Commerce)
Co-optex had launched online sales through its own portal in order to increase the sales in domestic and International market. Since inception in 2014-15, the online sale is showing considerable growth in sales performance.
During the year 2021-22 Co-optex has achieved a sale of Rs.135.47 lakh through Online Portal.
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Modernization of Showrooms during 2021 – 2022
During the year Co-optex has modernized 14 Showrooms at Rajaji Nagar Basavanagudi and Vijayanagar in Bengaluru Region, Secretariat, Butterfly, Astalakshmi, Anna Nagar, Mylapore and Tambaram Showrooms in Chennai Region, Pothigai Showroom, Trichy and Pudukottai showroom in Thanjavur Region, Pondicherry Showroom in Cuddalore Region, Angayarkanni Showroom in Madurai Region and Tiruvannamalai Showroom in Vellore Region at a total cost of Rs 238.00 lakh.
Co-optex has modernized 5 Exclusive Products specific showrooms in its campus viz., Co-optex Cotton Shirts, Co-optex Dhothies,
Co-optex Lungies, Co-optex Export varieties and Co-optex Organic collections at a total cost of 98.00 Lakh under the Handloom support programme.
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Sales Promotion Schemes to attract Customers
Co-optex Monthly Savings Schemes
Co-optex offers a popular monthly savings scheme in which customer can invest through monthly installments starting from Rs.300. Customer pays 10 monthly installments and
Co-optex pays 11th & 12th installment as bonus. A sale of around Rs.12.77 crore was achieved during the year 2021-22 through this scheme.
Silk Festival
In order to increase the sale of silk sarees and thereby improving the sales volume of
Co-optex substantially, Co-optex has conducted “Silk Festival”, an exclusive silk sarees sales at Thillaiyadi Valliyammai Pattu Maaligai, Chennai and Thangam Pattu Maaligai, Salem during the month of March 2022 and effected sales to the tune of Rs. 2.10 Crore.
Co-optex International
Co-optex has set up a separate division
‘Co-optex International’ in 1975 to promote export of Handloom varieties produced by weavers of Chennimalai area, Erode District.
It has increased its exports to Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy, France, Switzerland, United Kingdom and other countries. Co-optex International exported home textiles goods, viz., bed linen, table linen, kitchen linen, fashion bags, etc., and received orders worth of Rs.104.00 lakh during the year 2021 – 2022.
Participation in Trade Fairs
During the year 2021-2022, Co-optex International have participated in physical and virtual fairs to promote handloom products in International market.
List of Virtual fairs participated:
S.
No.
|
Event Description
|
Participation Period
|
1
|
Indian Handwoven and Home Textiles Sourcing Fair – Japan
|
08th to 10th February 2022
|
2
|
Indian Handwoven and Home Textiles Sourcing Fair – Germany & Belgium
|
14th to 16th February 2022
|
3
|
Indian Handwoven and Home Textiles Sourcing Fair – Sweden & Denmark
|
02nd to 04th March 2022
|
4
|
Indian Handwoven and Home Textiles Sourcing Fair – USA
|
08th to 10th March 2022
|
5
|
Indian Handwoven and Home Textiles Sourcing Fair – UK
|
15th to 17th March 2022
|
List of Physical fairs participated:
S.
No.
|
Event Description
|
Participation Period
|
1
|
World Expo Dubai 2020
|
25th to 31st March 2022
|
Introduction of “Zari Authenticity Card” for ensuring the Zari quality of Silk Sarees.
For the first time in the country, “Zari Authenticity Card” has been introduced in Kanchipuram silk sarees in order to increase the confidence and trust of customers and to have an assurance on their purchase of pure zari silk sarees from Co-optex by letting them know the content percentage of Gold & Silver in the Pure Zari Silk sarees as per the Government norms.
These Pure Zari Kanchipuram silk sarees being sold at Co-optex showrooms are regularly attached with the above “Zari Authenticity Cards” and are gaining popularity.
ii) “Tamil Thari” Collection
To attract more number of customers, the new varieties introduced under “Tamil Thari” collection were Silk Pavadai Sattai, Organic Cotton Kids Wear and Newly Developed Silk & Cotton Sarees.
The Zari Authenticity Cards & “Tamil Thari” Collection were introduced by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on 23.10.2021.
Performance - Government Schemes Dhothy, Saree Distribution Scheme Pongal 2022
Under the Dhothy, Saree Distribution Scheme Pongal 2022, Co-optex is one of the Nodal Agencies for supply of Sarees and Dhothies. Co-optex has supplied 80.20 lakh units of Sarees and 79.47 lakh units of Dhothies to the Taluk offices in Tamil Nadu.
Cost Free Supply of School Uniform Scheme AY 2021-22
Under Cost Free Supply of School Uniform Scheme for the Academic Year (AY) 2021-22,
Co-optex is one of the Nodal Agencies for supply of Cost Free uniform cloth to School Children.
Co-optex has supplied Drill cloth of 25.16 lakh mtrs, Casement Fabric of 93.50 lakh mtrs and 0.99 lakh mtrs of Shirting Materials to Social Welfare Department for the year 2021-22.
Supply of Saree and Dhothy to Old Age Pensioners
Co-optex is the Nodal Agency for supply of Sarees and Dhothies to Old Age Pensioners during Deepavali 2021 & Pongal 2022. For Deepavali 2021, Co-optex has supplied 23.70 lakh units of Sarees and 9.25 lakh units of Dhothies to Old Age Pensioners. Similarly, during Pongal - 2022, 23.50 lakh units of Sarees and 9.03 lakh units of Dhothies were supplied to taluk Offices in all the Districts.
Action Plan for 2022-2023
Sales Target
Co-optex has programmed to achieve Sales target of Rs.300 Crores during the year 2022–23 by developing new designs, introducing new products, modernization of the showrooms, wide advertisement & publicity.
New Initiatives
Opening of Elite Showrooms in Metro cities to make available exclusive and unique design collection of handloom sarees, stoles, dress materials from Tamil Nadu as well as other States and products of Khadi, Handicrafts etc., so as to expand the market segment to reach a large number of customers especially from the young demography.