The women’s activewear and innerwear market is evolving rapidly, driven by changing consumer preferences, technological advancements and growing conversations around sustainability, comfort and performance. For emerging Indian brands, the challenge lies in balancing innovation, functionality, quality and affordability while building products that genuinely address consumers’ needs.
In this conversation with Natasha Vora, Founder of Feier, we explore the importance of fabric selection in activewear, the balance between everyday essentials and vibrant colours, consumer awareness in innerwear, sustainable manufacturing, and the opportunities and challenges facing India’s performance apparel industry.
Interview
Q1. When developing a new design or colour palette, how do you decide what will actually work in the market? How do you balance consumer preference for everyday basics like black, white and nude with the demand for bold colours and self-expression?
Natasha Vora: You’re absolutely right that black is an essential colour. Black pays the rent, but colour gets you noticed. Colour is what stops people from scrolling through their social media feeds. They may eventually purchase black, but the vibrant colours are often what attract their attention and introduce them to a brand.
I believe colour drives discovery and brings in new customers. While black remains our best-selling colour, other colours also perform extremely well.
There is a famous statement by fashion editor Diana Vreeland: “Pink is the navy blue of India.” It highlights how Rani pink is almost a classic neutral in Indian wardrobes. It is versatile and pairs beautifully with many other colours.
When I was developing our range, I wanted to embrace the fact that Indian consumers enjoy colour. While many brands were following a Western minimal aesthetic with predominantly black and brown collections, I wanted Feier to offer something different.
However, I am also practical about product performance. If a particular colour does not sell, I am willing to replace it. We ensure that every product is available in black because it is the safest choice. When launching a new style, we generally introduce it in two or three colours. If the product performs well, we gradually expand the colour range.
For example, our most popular leggings are now available in 18 colours. Customers often begin with black, develop trust in the product and then return to purchase other colours. Black builds customer confidence, while colour encourages exploration.
Q2. Activewear often uses synthetic and stretch fibres. How do you approach sustainability without compromising garment performance?
Natasha Vora: This is a widely debated topic, particularly on social media. I believe no fibre is entirely innocent. The real question is what the garment is being used for.
India is a cotton-producing country, and cotton plays an important role in our clothing. However, when it comes to activewear, nylon offers superior performance because of its properties.
Cotton absorbs and retains sweat. During physical activity, cotton leggings can remain wet, develop unpleasant odours and create conditions for bacterial growth. This makes cotton less suitable for high-performance sportswear. That is why many professional athletes prefer performance garments made with nylon-based fabrics.
We need to distinguish between the fibre itself and its intended application.
Conventional cotton production also involves significant pesticide and fertiliser use, land requirements and chemical runoff, which can affect water systems. Organic cotton represents only a small proportion of overall cotton production, and even products labelled organic may have specific certification thresholds.
I am not suggesting that nylon is the most sustainable fibre. It is petroleum-based, but it is durable and suitable for particular applications.
Ultimately, the purpose of the garment should determine the material. For sweat management, stretch and shape recovery, nylon has its advantages. For loungewear, everyday clothing and casual wear, cotton can be a more appropriate choice.
Q3. Are you experimenting with other materials or fibres beyond nylon and cotton?
Natasha Vora: Our activewear primarily uses nylon and spandex, while our loungewear is made using cotton blends.
One important point about stretch is that spandex or elastane is generally required to provide the necessary elasticity. Even a cotton T-shirt or a cotton legging containing spandex is not entirely sustainable from a fibre perspective, because spandex is also derived from petroleum.
Consumers need to understand the complete material composition rather than assuming that a cotton-based garment is automatically sustainable.
Q4. What are the most common mistakes women make when choosing innerwear, and how can brands help them make better decisions?
Natasha Vora: One of the most important things a brand can do is communicate honestly about what a product can and cannot offer.
Many customers choose innerwear based primarily on prints or price. However, these should not be the main considerations. Women should pay attention to the fabric, feel and stretch of the garment.
The fabric should suit their needs, feel comfortable even after multiple washes and provide sufficient stretch. Tight lace or restrictive elastic may become uncomfortable over time.
Another common mistake is not choosing underwear according to the outfit. With loose clothing, such as skirts or baggy trousers, women have considerable freedom in choosing different underwear styles. However, with fitted clothing, it is preferable to select underwear that creates a smoother appearance underneath.
There is nothing wrong with visible panty lines if that is your preference, but the underwear should fit properly rather than appearing loose or wrinkled beneath the outfit.
There is also considerable confusion around seamless and bonded underwear in India. Seamless refers to the knitting technique, whereas bonding involves joining fabric using adhesive. Laser-cut and bonded underwear are often designed to remain less visible beneath clothing.
Not every seamless style is invisible under fitted garments. In many cases, a thong is the only silhouette that remains completely concealed beneath particularly tight clothing.
At Feier, we make sure our product descriptions are transparent. We do not claim that every underwear style disappears beneath clothing. We make that claim only for products where it is appropriate, such as our thongs.
Q5. Is the industry doing enough to educate consumers about the difference between genuinely durable clothing and products marketed as sustainable?
Natasha Vora: No, I don’t think the industry is doing enough. Sustainability and durability are two different considerations. Sustainability concerns how a product is made, whereas durability concerns how long it can be used.
The industry talks extensively about sustainability but does not discuss durability as much as it should.
Man-made fibres are often considered less sustainable because of their raw materials. However, natural fibres also require resources such as land, water and space. Animal-based fibres such as wool and silk also involve resources required for raising and maintaining animals.
Sustainability goes beyond the fibre. We must also consider where and how the garment is manufactured.
At our factory, we have a solar energy project, approximately 95% water recycling and fair wages for workers. Our seamless manufacturing process also helps reduce waste. Since our products are handled within the same building and warehouse, we can reduce transportation requirements as well.
All these smaller decisions contribute to more responsible manufacturing.
When it comes to durability, man-made fibres generally offer greater durability than natural fibres. Cotton garments can also last, but they eventually wear out. In India, we have a strong culture of reusing clothes, whether through donation, passing them on to others or converting them into cleaning cloths. This is another way to extend a garment’s useful life.
Q6. Are you undertaking any campaigns or initiatives to educate women about clothing, innerwear and bodysuits?
Natasha Vora: People’s attention spans have become increasingly short because of scrolling culture and social media consumption. We try to educate our customers wherever possible.
When it comes to our products, we highlight their features and explain concepts such as seamless construction, how to use different products and how to wear bodysuits.
However, if the question is whether we are doing enough to educate consumers about sustainability, I would say there is still a lot more we can do.
I am working towards improving this, but communicating detailed information to a large audience is challenging when most people are consuming content through 15- or 20-second reels.
The challenge is figuring out how much meaningful information we can communicate within such a short period.
Q7. What was one decision you made for Feier that involved taking a risk without knowing whether it would work?
Natasha Vora: Honestly, starting the entire brand was a risk.
I come from a manufacturing background, so I was confident about producing good-quality garments. I spent a year researching, developing samples and working on product development. Manufacturing itself was not my biggest concern.
The real risk was entering the business side of the industry. I knew very little about selling products, reaching customers or running Meta advertisements. There are so many aspects of building a brand that you only understand once you start doing it.
Another important risk was deciding to enter a market where most brands were following minimalistic aesthetics. Their logos, websites and overall presentation often revolved around black-and-white colour schemes.
I wanted to do something different. I wanted to introduce colour, brightness and boldness.
The name Feier is a German word meaning celebration. I wanted the brand to reflect that idea, not just through the garments but also through its website, visual identity and overall experience.
For me, the celebration is about customers choosing to wear clothes that express their individuality, tastes and personalities. I wanted to create a fun brand in a market where many brands had a more serious approach.
Q8. What opportunities do you see for Indian brands to expand into international markets without losing their understanding of local consumers?
Natasha Vora: I believe that if a product can perform well during Indian summers, it can perform almost anywhere. Our summers are hot, humid and challenging, so products developed for these conditions have significant potential.
For international expansion, the Gulf region could be a natural starting point for Indian brands because of its large Indian population and similarities in consumer preferences and body shapes.
However, I believe brands should export their expertise rather than simply their products. For example, if a brand has developed expertise in designing garments for curvier body types, that is something worth highlighting in international markets.
At the same time, brands should continue researching and understanding their Indian customers. They should not forget the consumers who helped them build their identity and popularity in the first place.
India is a significant market, and international expansion should not come at the cost of losing touch with the domestic consumer.
Q9. Feier’s manufacturing facility is located close to Mumbai and uses Italian seamless knitting machines. What advantages and challenges do you experience in manufacturing high-quality activewear in India?
Natasha Vora: One of our biggest advantages is being close to our customers and our target market. Being located just outside Mumbai is particularly beneficial.
Our sampling process can happen within days because I visit the factory regularly and work closely with the sampling team. I am directly involved in product development rather than managing everything remotely over the phone.
This allows us to experiment with smaller batches, test products and improve designs quickly. Our speed to market, from product development to launch, is therefore a significant advantage.
However, India is not traditionally known as a major activewear manufacturing destination. The industry is developing, but we still have considerable ground to cover.
Several high-quality materials, particularly specialised performance materials and certain yarns, need to be imported. Logistics costs have also increased due to the prevailing geopolitical situation.
Another challenge is the limited availability of skilled technicians familiar with Italian seamless knitting machines. We have to continuously invest in training and developing the right technical workforce.
Therefore, manufacturing in India offers significant advantages, but it also requires investment in skills, materials and technology.
Q10. If you could change three things in India’s textile and apparel value chain to help homegrown brands compete globally, what would you prioritise and why?
Natasha Vora: The first priority would be developing a stronger skilled workforce, particularly for activewear manufacturing, stitching and specialised garment production. We need more skilled professionals who understand the technical requirements of performance apparel. The industry could support this through specialised training institutions and trade schools.
Second, I would like to see greater innovation in performance yarns from domestic suppliers. International companies are developing some excellent performance yarns, and Indian manufacturers need to strengthen their capabilities in this area.
We still need to improve the availability of finer nylon counts and more advanced performance materials. Although progress is happening, it is a gradual process.
We currently use Indian yarn, but I would love to have access to even better, more advanced performance materials from domestic manufacturers. This would reduce our dependence on imports and allow us to source everything within India.
The third priority would be better support for businesses in terms of working capital, testing facilities and financial requirements.
Running a small business is challenging, particularly with increasing costs and taxes. There needs to be greater understanding and support for smaller brands, especially when the country is encouraging domestic manufacturing through initiatives such as Make in India.
There is often a gap between what is said about supporting Indian manufacturing and the actual experiences of businesses operating on the ground. I would like to see more practical support reflected in the day-to-day operations of homegrown brands.
Rapid Fire Round with Natasha Vora
Q1. Comfort or style – which should never be compromised?
Natasha Vora: Comfort.
Q2. What is the most underrated feature of a good sports bra?
Natasha Vora: It should be easy to put on and take off.
Q3. One activewear myth you would like to break?
Natasha Vora: Leggings do not have to be extremely tight. It is better to wear the right size rather than choosing an incorrect size.
Q4. One thing women should check before buying leggings?
Natasha Vora: The length and waistband proportions. The garment should fit your body correctly.
Q5. Premium pricing or accessible pricing – which is harder to get right?
Natasha Vora: Accessible pricing.
Q6. One thing international brands could learn from Indian consumers?
Natasha Vora: Play with colour.
Q7. One fabric or technology you are excited about?
Natasha Vora: Our N9 silver finish, which incorporates silver into garments to help fight odour-causing bacteria and reduce unpleasant odours. It is also designed with environmental considerations in mind.
Q8. One thing you would change about the innerwear industry?
Natasha Vora: I would love to see customers become more experimental with the styles they choose.
Q9. One business lesson manufacturing has taught you?
Natasha Vora: Make your product manufacturing-friendly.
Q10. One word that describes the future of women’s activewear?
Natasha Vora: Booming. The market is booming.
Interview by Ritika Kanojia
Watch the Interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IdZf39UEbRg
