By Duruthu Edirimuni
Combining premium quality raw materials and highly-skilled tailoring, EKKO has managed to make its mark as a dynamic lifestyle brand which prides itself on the spirit and professionalism of its employees worldwide, in addition to the superior quality of its product line
EKKO, a leading producer of fashion wear for men and women as well as linen and linen-blended fabrics, was established in the tropics of Sri Lanka, a creation of founder Lalantha Watudura who launched the brand nine years ago with the dual goals of producing wide-ranging fashion choices using ethical business practices for Sri Lankan men and women. It was the decades of experience in the apparel industry coupled with prior discipline gained in the banking industry as well as an eye for subtler details and an extensive knowledge of both fashion and apparel that led to the birth of the brand EKKO. This turned out to be a remarkable journey that involved a move from Sri Lanka to USA and to Madagascar and return to his birth country within 10 years.
It allowed Lalantha to satisfy his thirst of turning out a product line with which he was truly pleased with. It was also a challenge he accomplished to its full potential so much so that five years into launching EKKO premier formal shirts, the holding company E L Holdings launched a detailed wardrobe for men and an additional women wear category. “The brand’s mission was to create a product line that would not only be of premium quality but also offer value-for-money and could be enjoyed by everyone who loves confidence and lifestyle. We pitched and positioned the brand well and as we saw equity growing for the brand it was natural to expand the line,” Lalantha said.
Style and Sustainability
EKKO is distinguished by the distinctive graphic style and the thought paid to the detail and construction of products. Lalantha attributes the brand’s unique selling point as possessing its own designing, sample development, designers and technicians – typically the full 360 degrees. “Also, most of the fabric that we use is fibre-based which is appropriate for the South Asian consumer,” he adds. The company outsources for bulk production. “We ensure our partner manufacturers endeavour to protect their employees, the community and environment in which they operate, and their wellbeing. Right pay, proper working hours, work ethics, meal breaks and transport are the fundamentals,” Lalantha said.
“We outsource bulk manufacturing to medium-scale manufacturers comprising skilled labour forces in Sri Lanka, China, Vietnam, Mauritius and Madagascar. Our monthly production capacity at the moment is about 2,50,000 units and growing,” he added. The quality standard at the company is verified at AQL 1.0 for inline inspections and AQL 1.5 for final inspections, ensuring customer returns are maintained well below 3%, a majority of which are size exchanges. Amongst the enthusing opportunities the company is exploring, expanding the women wear range to be marketed through an e-platform based in the US West Coast’s Los Angeles is the most exciting.
“We are working on this for the US market, adding synthetic fibre-based fabrics as manmade fibres are a huge hit in the US,” Lalantha said. EKKO boasts a share of 90% of linen and linen-blended fabrics in the domestic market while the export share is 10%. “We expect exports to grow with the US opportunity we are working on currently,” he stated. The company is also aiming to showcase its collection in Bengaluru in India by opening a flagship store and having its own e-commerce platform while adding to popular Indian fashion e-commerce platforms as well. Lalantha believes that the superior position of the company is owing to sustaining the best value for money, maintaining consistency in fabric and the construction in fabric properties.
“The value additions we do are top of the range. We are well-known for the perfect fit and quality of fabrics,” Lalantha said. “Regardless of price hikes, our product integrity is well-maintained,” he added. The company has posted year-on-year growth of 30% from the start except during the pandemic which was from 2019 to 2021. “We are once again witnessing good growth from last October and the earnings are kicking in,” Lalantha revealed. The company boasts a majority of women employees which is also a plus in the way they envision the product. The company has a strong footing in using sustainable chemicals for manufacturing denim jeans. “We are driving sustainable initiatives such as BCI cotton and the use of sustainable chemicals in natural dyeing. It is also plastic-free,” Lalantha said.
The company also uses recycled polyester and eco-friendly materials such as recycled paper for all their packaging needs. Its long-term plans include aggressive growth and franchising in South Asia and the Middle East. “With the opportunity in Los Angeles, we aim to carefully and gradually grow that business as well,” Lalantha said, noting that EKKO aspires to become the ‘go to’ shopping and leisure brand in international marketplaces through capturing customers both on B2B and B2C platforms by empowering innovation and design to give ultimate a client happiness. “We aim to be a global leader in lifestyle fashion apparel for men and women by maintaining class and comfort,” he added.
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Best Foot Forward
Combining premium quality raw materials and highly-skilled tailoring, EKKO managed to make its mark as a dynamic lifestyle brand which prides itself on the spirit and professionalism of its employees worldwide, in addition to the superior quality of its product line. Two years after the launch of EKKO, the brand was awarded ‘Best Brand Industry’ at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion and Apparel Awards 2015. The company went on to open EKKO flagship store at One Galle Face Mall in Colombo two years ago. EKKO is available at leading department stores in Sri Lanka and online at ekko.style. Remarkably, while the product line expansion was in its initial stages, the flagship store was opened during the pandemic. “I always knew that the pandemic was going to be short term. Also, during this time we saw e-commerce growing, especially in this region,” Lalantha said.