Very early on in his journey of entrepreneurship, Nand Kishore Chaudhary realised that it is not enough to simply make a product and sell it. What you create has to have a heart and soul. And that is what defines the amazing success story of Jaipur Rugs, which not only produces some of the world’s most beautiful rugs but does so with a very high commitment to mankind, society and sustainability
More than 40 years ago, Nand Kishore Chaudhary, through self-awareness and introspection, realised his potential to go beyond the mundane, which led him to become one of the leading entrepreneurs of our time. While looking at the opportunities available and avenues to explore, he stumbled upon the market for carpets, and instantly spotted the lack of suppliers despite the growing demand. With a mere Rs. 5,000, which he borrowed from his father, Chaudhary set out to realise his dreams. He began as a contract manufacturer and eventually moved towards establishing his own export business, with just two looms and a few weavers.
From there on he moved to a slightly larger space on rent, while increasing the number of weavers engaging in manufacturing the hand-made carpets. A few years later, when he learned that the Gujarat Government was taking an initiative towards eradicating poverty among the tribal community and create employment opportunities for them, he took it upon himself to join the cause. He travelled to Gujarat, where he dedicated his time and effort in teaching community members the refined skills needed for weaving, further providing them with employment in his company.
The right path
The efforts towards expanding his business, getting skilled employees, and growing a client base continued for almost 20 years. In the year 1999, he finally established his company in the city of Jaipur in the name of Jaipur Rugs. The dream that Chaudhary set out to actualize with a capital investment of a few thousands has now turned into one of the most prestigious companies, manufacturing and exporting over 50,000 sq. feet of hand-made luxury rugs in a year with a turnover of Rs. 150 crores, while providing employment to more than 40,000 weavers and spinners in India.
The uniqueness of Jaipur Rugs is not only attributable to Nand Kishore Chaudhary and his leadership but also to the USP of its products. All rugs and carpets are manufactured using traditional methods of hand-carding, with no use of machinery. This manual way of separating and straightening wool fibre is followed by hand-spinning and hand-knotting the fibre to create the final product. Jaipur Rugs manufactures its traditional hand-made rugs using fibres such as wool, silk, bamboo and viscose, furthering sustainable means of production. All the way from the raw material to the final product, the supply chain of the company is either entirely in-house or heavily influenced by it.
A holistic approach
Their yarn, dye and weaving are all of the highest quality worldwide. The company also provides services such as carpet washing, professional carpet cleaning, and revival of old carpets by giving it a vintage touch and making it reusable as well as additional accessories such as rug bags. This makes it a holistic company, encompassing all the requirements for the purchase and maintenance of rugs and carpets. Their philosophy is: “We don’t sell the carpet; we sell the family blessings, we sell the story, we sell the experience.” The approach of Jaipur Rugs is directed towards emotionally connecting the weavers and end consumers through the production of customised rugs and unique stories behind them.
Product highlights
Jaipur Rugs offers a premium range of contemporary to transitional hand-made carpets. Globally acclaimed and award-winning designer labels like Kavi, Matteo Cibic, Jenny Jones and Jennifer Adams are featured in their collection. All carpets are primarily made from natural fibres like silk, wool, cotton, jute and hemp, making the rugs sustainable and perfectly fit for any living space. Apart from these, there is a selection of rugs made from recycled and eco-friendly materials like sari silk and non-dyed wool and silk yarn. Some of the special product features include khadi yarn and hand-embossing effect that creates a two-level surface for a more dynamic effect. The company has the largest ready-in-stock inventory, with more than 11,000 rugs in its warehouse.
Taking initiatives
About three to four years ago, they embarked on a new journey with an initiative which allows the local artisans to indulge in creative exploration and design the carpet using their own artistic and novel ideas. This way, they not only sell their carpet but also the stories and experiences of the local artisans who make a livelihood through their dedication and hard work. Until two years ago, Jaipur Rugs was purely an export business. However, since 2017, they have laid grounds within the Indian market. The company was accepted with open arms in the domestic market and has already accounted for over 20% of the total production.
The potential for luxury carpets was found to be much higher than initially anticipated. Research indicates that the Indian luxury market is growing at a rapid speed. The youth of India has shifted their attention towards purchasing products with not only aesthetic qualities, but also the thought that goes behind its processing. “The new generation is no longer brand-conscious. The millennials are interested in purchasing a product based on the story behind it, and the thoughts and emotions of the maker. Now they are conscious of how it is made and who makes it,” Chairman and Managing Director Nand Kishore Chaudhary states.
In tune with the times
New customers have now shifted their attention towards companies with strong ethical values which show concern for the society and its people as well as take initiatives towards ensuring eco-friendly production and increasing the value of sustainability. Due to the ability of Jaipur Rugs to live up to such requirements and expectations of the present generation, it has seen an increase in their domestic client base for their luxury carpet brand. With such an understanding, the company continues to experiment to increase sustainability value while their research and development team works on various ways to use recyclable fibre to further ensure minimum wastage.
One of the major reasons the company has received such positive feedback is its present work culture. The hard-working employees have utmost dedication towards their work and have been trained to produce the highest quality carpets. Their workforce consists of local artisans from five different States – Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar. Their office centre has more than 600 employees, who are highly trained experts, dedicating their time and effort into efficiently managing the functions of the company.
Elaborating about the vision behind the venture, Chaudhary says: “Any business is a journey of consciousness and purpose. If through business, your consciousness is increasing and the purpose is gaining clarity, you are on the right path. If you lack consciousness and purpose, everything you have earned becomes worthless.”
The road ahead
In the next five years, Chaudhary hopes to reduce the number of middlemen and shift from a business-to-business approach to a business-to-consumer approach. This way, end consumers will remain connected to the artisans, allowing a free flow of experiences and stories, which forms the core of Jaipur Rugs. It acts as a platform for local artisans to bring out their hidden talents, giving individuals from rural areas employment opportunities and a means to grow and develop. As Chaudhary puts it: “Our management philosophy is all about finding yourself through losing yourself.”
For the past one year the company has hired people with great passion and varying capabilities, especially from the younger generation. The company recognises the diverse population in India and the need to tap into talents from around the country. “Having an open and broad perspective, being down to earth, recognising talent with minimum bias, and giving back to society are the key ways to excel and create a respectable brand name in the market,” is what the company believes in. Jaipur Rugs has managed to turn this mission statement into reality and hopes to move towards bringing about further changes and innovations to satisfy the needs of their customers.
Words of wisdom
Now, with the growing demand for luxury rugs and carpets in the Indian market, a lot of young entrepreneurs are looking to enter the industry. Chaudhary suggests that the younger generation, along with improving their education and knowledge about the field, need to step out of their comfort zone and come into direct contact with the present reality of the industry, gain a practical understanding about the demands, the people involved inside and outside the business, as well as the products. “People looking to enter the industry should love what they are doing. If you don’t find pleasure in the work, then it is a waste,” he says. Chaudhary also suggests that companies need to keep their core values in place and have a defined vision, mission and aim that can be transferred to their next generation.
“Jaipur Rugs is a company that has a respectable brand name worldwide. It provides products of the highest quality and best designs along with taking initiatives towards healing our society. Over the years, we have fulfilled our duties towards corporate social responsibility in more instances than one by providing skill training and employment opportunities to people from rural areas,” he says. A company that gives back to society and has such a positive approach towards its employees is an inspiration to not only those who are within the industry but also to the younger lot of aspiring entrepreneurs.