The online-first furniture retailer currently plans to open more brick-and-mortar stores and experience centres in different cities
Bengaluru: At a time when sustainable practices have become the need of the hour, Gaurav Jain’s growing furniture and lighting brand Orange Tree stands out as a rare example.
Story of growth
Orange Tree is the retail venture of Basant, founded by Gaurav Jain’s father in 1998. For over two decades, Basant has been designing and manufacturing the finest contemporary furniture and accessories and exporting these to 17 countries worldwide, servicing renowned stores such as West Elm, Pottery Barn, Zara Homes and Crate & Barrel among others.
It was while handling the family business during his studies in Germany that Gaurav Jain realised the need for the Indian furniture industry to upskill and modernise its furniture technology. He felt that there was an opportunity for contemporary, modern and minimalistic designs in the Indian market—which was otherwise clouded with traditional and antique furniture.
“The segment was primarily dominated by local manufacturers. The product quality and design were not at par with the global level. People who were well travelled and understood design in this category did not have the option to buy furniture that was modern and contemporary, with a global design ethos,” shares Jain. So, to offer high-quality products in sustainable materials and designs that represent the global language, Jain founded Orange Tree in 2014 as an e-commerce website. The brand’s first brick-and-mortar store in Jodhpur followed, and this year, in May, its first flagship store was launched in Hyderabad.
Innovation at the core
Mindful living has emerged in India over the years. “People are shopping more consciously and buying locally, and viewing brands through a new lens and under a new light of environmental impact. Both consumers and designers are embracing the eco-friendly approach, using natural elements such as wood, marble, concrete, bamboo, and environmentally conscious finishes,” shares Jain.
Handcrafted products both for aesthetic appeal and socio-economic impact are popular. And so are versatile pieces rich in textures that lend an air of warmth, spaciousness and comfort to minimalistic, no-fuss and multifunctional spaces. Orange Tree has made a name for itself in its category by constantly experimenting with materials. Take, for instance, the brand’s ‘Toshi’ furniture collection, featuring unique and modern pieces crafted from cement and solid wood. There is also the lighting collection, for which the brand uses biodegradable or sustainable materials such as papier mâché, cane and bamboo.
“At Orange Tree, we are committed to excellence (in quality and craft), technological innovation and respect for the environment. Our design idiom is led by experimentation with varied materials to create products that bring freshness to your living spaces,” conveys Jain.
Being customer ready
The credit for Orange Tree’s success, Jain continues, goes to its unique design strength that is anchored in Basant. “I already had an understanding of the design vocabulary of international home décor and furniture companies and what was lacking in the Indian market. India had been at the cusp of transformation: We were already an IT hub by then, people were well-travelled and they had the income to invest in good quality furniture and lighting,” adds Jain. Moreover, even before sustainability became a buzz world, the brand was already embracing the trend through its products.
That is not to say the journey has been easy. One of the biggest challenges Orange Tree faced in the initial years was educating the customers. “People were so used to PU-finish products or had little or no understanding of the grain difference in solid wood furniture.
Additionally, the domestic infrastructure for shipping furniture products was also at a nascent stage,” explains Jain. Orange Tree has tackled these problems by engaging with customers and understanding their concerns, along with taking their feedback constructively. It does all this through its physical stores, e-mailers, newsletters, WhatsApp presence and customer care facility. Jain believes that communication (engaging and listening to one’s customers) is the mantra for succeeding in the D2C ecosystem, and so he plans to open more brick-and-mortar stores and experience centres in different cities for customers to feel the products and connect with the brand on a personal level.
Brownie Points
- Orange Tree’s flagship store has been launched in Hyderabad’s Banjara Hills this year.
- The store has allowed the brand’s team to connect with customers in person while enabling customers to see the products up close.
- Common feedback the brand receives from customers is that they feel proud of bringing home global products from a home-grown brand. This feedback keeps the team at Orange Tree motivated and grounded, while constantly reminding them of being proud of their designs and the ‘Make in India’ stamp on their products.
- Orange Tree forayed into the furniture category last year.
- The brand’s products have been spotted via social media pictures in the homes of celebrities such as cricketer Virat Kohli.
First appeared in The India D2C Yearbook 2022
