TEGO is a D2C high performance apparel, exercise gear, and accessories startup located in Mumbai. The brand claims to have grown twofold in the previous two years and to have sold over 2,50,000 goods.
TEGO is a luxury sportswear brand for athletes founded in 2016 by entrepreneurs Krishna Chandak and Ashish Naik. According to the creators, it arose from a need for a suitable training gear that they could not locate. As a result, the pair set out to invent things that would improve their exercises. The co-founders began by selling gym towels, which they claim became an instant hit and a must-have item for athletes.
Aside from towels, the Mumbai-based firm also sells clothing, yoga mats, socks, and sports equipment such as water bottles and jump ropes.
Getting Started
Krishna returned to India in 2011 after eight years in the United States and discovered it difficult to get a nice gym towel.
“It took us a year to get started,” adds Krishna, who holds an MBA from Philadelphia University and formerly worked for KPMG Advisory in New York.
TEGO introduced their items to the market in 2016 through PlanetSports, a multi-brand sports and lifestyle specialty store network owned by Future Retail.
After around ten shop trials and a year of showing at PlanetSports, the goods were made accessible on Amazon and other ecommerce sites.
The firm has also collaborated with sports federations and properties around India [HCL Squash Open – PSA Tour; TATA Maharashtra Open – ATP; and TATA Mumbai Marathon 2018].
According to the co-founders, TEGO’s products stand out because of the materials that allow it to improve its utility.
TEGO creates its products in-house and collaborates with technological partners to guarantee that each product has a distinct characteristic.
For example, the firm claims that its antimicrobial function is unique, in addition to a performance cotton t-shirt that dries 2X quicker than conventional cotton t-shirts and a towel that wipes away perspiration faster and, thanks to the antimicrobial feature, decreases the threat of infections at gyms.
“We’d want to believe that for that particular price point, we’re probably best-in-class for that product in every area that we’re in,” Krishna adds.
The accessories range in price from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,500, with the Workout Mat costing Rs 3,500.
The majority of TEGO’s suppliers are located outside of India, with certain cotton-based items manufactured in India.
The organization locates manufacturers and suppliers from across the world and promises to use stringent quality control criteria and benchmarks when sourcing with the assistance of a worldwide network of specialists to assure consistent product quality and experience.
“This is also TEGO’s ultimate goal: to near-shore/re-shore as much output as feasible.
As we grow into a key participant in the Indian market, this is unavoidable “Krishna says
Although the firm was able to develop and gain traction throughout the epidemic, it encountered supply chain challenges for materials and goods.
“Since then, we have de-risked by expanding our supply chain and establishing Indian partners for specific growth areas,” Krishna says.
In the premium performance area, the firm presently competes with Alcis Sports and Playfiks.
