How Parnika grew from commission work to manufacturing women’s ethnic wear for over 10,000 retailers

In 1984, Dinesh Pacheriwal, a young entrepreneur from Gaya, Bihar, moved to Surat, India’s textile hub, in search of better opportunities.

With limited means but a strong will to create something of his own, he set up a modest garment business that relied mainly on commission work. He worked as a commission agent, buying garments from others and reselling them to retailers.

Margins were thin, uncertainty was constant, and Pacheriwal’s family lived in modest circumstances. But those early years planted the seeds of what would later become Parnika India, a women’s ethnicwear manufacturer.

“When my father started the business, resources were scarce, and the family was living hand to mouth. At that time, our turnover was just one to one-and-a-half crore rupees, and the founder’s annual income barely reached two to three lakhs. Those were tough years, but they laid the foundation of resilience that continues to guide us,” recalls Dinesh Pacheriwal’s son Vishal Pacheriwal, who is now the managing director of Parnika India.

Today, Parnika India not only sells garments to retailers, but also manufactures them. The B2B company has two manufacturing units in Surat and a workforce of about 700 people. It produces nearly 4,000 pieces per day.

The company supplies women’s ethnic wear at wholesale rates to about 10,000 retailers and resellers across India, and has also built a strong international presence.

Parnika’s product range spans printed sarees, silk sarees, embroidered sarees, kurtis, suit pieces, lehengas, and fabrics. Among these, lehengas are its core strength.

Transition under the next generation

By the early 2000s, second generation entrepreneur Vishal Pacheriwal, after completing his B.Com, joined the family enterprise. While the commission model offered security, he soon realised it would not sustain the business in the long run. He pushed towards trading and eventually ventured into full-fledged manufacturing.

However, the shift was not easy.

“We suffered heavy losses in the beginning due to long credit cycles and inexperience in managing production. There were moments when it felt like we were on the brink of collapse,” Pacheriwal admits.

“But my father always reminded us courage and persistence are the only way forward. That belief kept us going,” he adds.

The turning point came in 2003, when Pacheriwal read an article in the newspaper about India importing embroidery machines from China.

“It struck me immediately that embroidery could change the course of our business. Each embroidery machine cost six to seven lakh rupees, well beyond our reach, but with the 75% government subsidy, we decided to take the risk. We bought three machines, set them up in rented factories, and worked day and night to make it succeed,” says Pacheriwal.

By 2006, the move started to pay off. Embroidery sarees gained traction, and the company began to attract steady demand from retailers.

Scaling and setbacks

In 2007, Parnika secured bank financing, purchased a 10,000 sq ft factory in Surat, and established its first owned production facility. Its workforce grew to nearly 400 employees, and turnover climbed steadily, touching Rs 95 crore by 2010–11.

But rapid expansion also brought with it challenges. In 2011, after moving into a larger 80,000 sq ft corporate house, the business faced a sharp downturn. Between 2011 and 2013, turnover fell nearly to about Rs 60 crore.

“We became overconfident and produced beyond demand without fully understanding the market. We assumed nobody could touch us. That arrogance was costly,” Pacheriwal reflects.

The downturn forced the company to return to its fundamentals. Pacheriwal and his team went back to direct marketing, reconnecting with retailers, and gathering market insights first-hand. By 2014-15, growth was restored.

From 2015 to 2019, Parnika maintained stability, but the COVID-19 pandemic brought operations to a near halt. Turnover fell again, uncertainty loomed, and production slowed sharply. Despite these challenges, the company made a conscious decision not to downsize.

“We didn’t lay off a single employee. Full salaries and bonuses were paid throughout, even when business was at a standstill. It was not an easy decision, but the loyalty and trust it created became one of our greatest strengths when markets revived after 2023.”

Current operations

Parnika’s annual turnover now is around Rs 170 crore, with a growth rate of 20% year-on-year. It exports to over 68 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Pakistan. Exports contribute about 20% to overall business.

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The company focuses on backward integration, ensuring that every stage from sourcing raw materials to finished production remains under the company’s control. This approach has allowed Parnika to maintain consistent quality and adapt quickly to market shifts.

“In fashion, trends change every six months, sometimes faster because of platforms like Instagram. You can’t plan quarterly anymore; you need to stay updated daily. Adaptability and cost-effectiveness are the only way to sustain growth,” he explains.

Today the company employs a team of six in-house designers who work with advanced technology to track trends and design collections.

Giving back to the community

Beyond business, Parnika invests in training programmes for employees and retailers, covering quality management, stock handling, margin optimisation, and digital tools like WhatsApp marketing.

Parnika also provides meals to around 300 people every Sunday in Surat, and supports young women in becoming self-reliant through entrepreneurial opportunities. The company also runs child welfare programmes, community upliftment drives, and menstrual hygiene awareness campaigns in rural areas.

Women’s empowerment is the focus of the company’s efforts. “Encouraging women to step into economic activity is both a responsibility and a necessity,” says Pacheriwal.

Looking ahead

Parnika, which has been in the business for over 40 years, is targeting a turnover of Rs 500 crore in the next five years.

The company plans to enter other categories such as fusion wear, sustainable fabrics, menswear and children’s wear. It is also looking to rope in a brand ambassador to strengthen its identity in the B2B segment, both in the domestic and international markets.