Fur Jaden aims to strengthen its brand visibility, broaden its product range, establish its own manufacturing facility, and expand its retail footprint
Bengaluru: India’s travel gear segment—once ruled by old-school giants—is seeing a quiet but steady shake-up. Today’s shoppers aren’t just picking bags that look good; they’re after smart functionality, clean design, solid quality, and most importantly, a brand that actually stands for something.
As this space heats up, expected to reach $16 billion by 2025, the Mumbai-based travel and luggage brand Fur Jaden is conspicuously standing out on its own. From introducing India’s first USB-charging backpack to anti-theft bags with RFID-blocking pockets, the online-first brand created quite a stir in the sector.
Founded in 2015 by Sahil Bansal and Karishma Bansal, the D2C brand has been profitable right from its launch.
The nearly decade-old brand recently raised Rs 9.5 crore in its first round of funding, a Pre-Series A round led by Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund. With the capital infusion, the company is now eyeing new frontiers—building high-caliber teams, expanding product lines, setting up its own Make in India facility, and scaling its retail presence.
In an exclusive chat with IndiaRetailing, Sahil Bansal delves into the brand’s evolution, its business playbook, diverse product range, plans for retail expansion and more.
Edited excerpts…
You launched Fur Jaden online even before e-commerce truly took off—what was that journey like?
When I was in Italy, I saw kids carrying stylish backpacks—that is really where the inspiration sparked. I was in my early 20s then and if I wanted a bag, I still had to depend on the big brands and most of which were designed like school bags—styles that just didn’t resonate with young adults.
That core insight became the foundation for Fur Jaden. We focused on the kind of design today’s youth actually wanted to carry—and that’s what really helped us find our footing and success.
We began around the time e-commerce was just gaining momentum in India. Initially, we started with handbags, but within the first 18 months, we made a strategic shift to backpacks, which have remained our primary focus ever since.
We did around Rs 3-4 crore in sales in the first year of operations. The journey up to COVID-19 was relatively slow because we were still learning the ropes of how marketplaces worked. Back then, e-commerce was so new that even the platforms themselves did not fully understand what would sell or which brands to back. There was not even an ads platform then—so most visibility was given to products bought in bulk from larger companies, while brands like ours had to rely purely on organic listings. Post-COVID-19, things really changed.
How much capital did you start out with initially?
We initially launched the business with Rs 30 lakh, which was invested by my father. He basically handed it over with the mindset—”let’s see what you can make of it. If you lose it, don’t come running back—but if you can show promise, we will figure out ways to raise more.”
From there, we relied on loans from friends, family, and bank credit limits to keep things moving. What’s worked in our favor is that we have been profitable right from the start—one of the few in our space to consistently grow while staying in the green.
What is the story behind the brand name ‘Fur Jaden’?
The name is inspired by the German phrase “für jeden,” which means ‘for each’. The philosophy behind it is individuality—owning who you are and embracing your personality. Our designs reflect that ethos—those are meant to be cool for you, not because someone else says they are. That’s why when someone carries a Fur Jaden bag, it’s a personal statement, not a trend.
Even in our lifestyle imagery, we emphasise self-assured attitudes and body language—being confident, independent, and entirely yourself.
What would you say was the key turning point in your journey?
Our big breakthrough came when we launched India’s first anti-theft backpack—with hidden zips at the back—and the country’s first USB charging backpack. It quickly became the top-selling backpack across e-commerce platforms and really helped us establish our identity.
Since then, we have been constantly evolving—tweaking designs, colours, and features based on how consumer needs and trends are shifting. That adaptability is what’s kept us growing while many other early e-commerce brands faded out within 2–3 years. Over the past year, we have become the top-selling backpack brand on Amazon India.
What sales channels are you currently using?
Around 95% of our revenue comes from various online channels—primarily D2C, e-commerce platforms, and now quick commerce as well. We have recently partnered with Zepto and have already become one of the top backpack brands on the platform within just two-and-a-half months.
How do you plan to make use of the newly raised funds?
The main reasons behind raising funds are to strengthen our team, invest in branding, and build strong visibility and recall on social media.
While we have been profitable, the profits alone would allow for only about 20–25% organic growth annually, since a lot goes back into working capital, new designs, and innovations. But to scale rapidly, build a brand presence, and expand into offline channels, we need that additional push—which is where external funding plays a crucial role in enabling omnichannel growth.
Are there any plans to enter offline retail?
Offline expansion will gradually begin in the second half of our first year post-funding. We will start by partnering with multi-brand retail outlets and malls to place our products in their stores. Once we have built strong brand recall—especially among Gen Z and the youth we are targeting—and Fur Jaden has gained enough traction, we plan to open our own branded offline stores.
Do you have any locations in mind?
We are planning to start with tier-1 cities and top tier-2 cities first. Tier-1 is a natural fit for us—our design language, price points, and brand positioning align well with consumers there, who are typically more open to trying new brands.
Interestingly, we are seeing similar behavior emerging in aspirational tier-2 cities as well, so expanding there feels like an organic next step.
We are likely to begin with key markets like Mumbai, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. Once we establish a presence there, we will assess the response and use our D2C data to make informed, data-driven decisions on where to expand next. Rather than relying on assumptions, we prefer to let the data guide us on which new cities or channels make the most strategic sense.
What is your retail expansion goal for the next two years?
In our second funding round, we are aiming to open around 15 to 20 stores.
Retail expansion is not always a linear path. We may have structured plans, but we often need to make agile decisions based on real-time feedback. For instance, despite being a top backpack brand on Amazon, we have struggled to move products on Flipkart due to a mismatch in consumer fit, which shows how crucial marketplace-specific insights are. So, our strategy is to test, learn, and then scale quickly where we see traction.
Which multi-brand outlets (MBOs) are you planning to collaborate with?
We are targeting department stores like Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle, Reliance Big Bazaar and Bayani family’s Broadway. Broadway combines shopping with lifestyle elements like concept coffee cafes, massage parlors, and other engaging experiences to keep young audiences interested. We believe it is a great fit for our brand and the kind of customer experience we want to offer.
Do you prefer malls or high streets to open stores?
Malls make a lot of sense from a footfall perspective and also because they allow consumers to compare different brands side by side. That is something I believe they should have the freedom to do. We are confident in the range and value we offer, so I am completely open to being placed right next to competitors and letting the consumer decide what they want to buy.
How do you expect the offline vs online ratio of sales evolving once you begin offline expansion?
We are gradually introducing offline as part of our scale-up strategy, but it will take time before it becomes a major revenue contributor. For example, if we hit Rs 100 crore in overall revenue and generate Rs 25 crore from 15 offline stores in the first year, offline will still account for less than 20% of the total. So the shift toward offline will happen progressively.
Ultimately, this balance will be dictated more by consumer behavior than by the brand’s efforts alone. Even if we open 100 stores, if customers prefer to shop online, the offline push won’t deliver returns—it’ll just be an added cost. That’s why we will grow this channel carefully, in response to how our audience engages across platforms.
How many stock keeping units (SKUs) do you currently offer?
We currently have over 150 SKUs, with backpacks still being the largest contributor to our business, followed by rucksacks and duffel bags. Our goal is to have a strong presence across all lifestyle luggage segments.
How often do you refresh the product line?
It is more of a reflection of current trends rather than seasonal fashion cycles, since we do not cater to school-going kids. Our core audience is mainly young professionals—typically between 21 and 45 years old.
These consumers look for functionality and structure rather than constantly changing colours or styles. Instead of large seasonal drops, we follow a rolling launch model—introducing about two new backpack designs each month. At the same time, we phase out older models that have run their course based on performance.
Are there any new products being launched soon?
We are constantly innovating and expanding into new categories. For instance, we’re launching India’s first paddle bag next week—something that did not exist before, but with the sport gaining popularity, we saw an opportunity to be the first to offer a stylish and functional product in that space.
Looking ahead, our plan is to reintroduce handbags into our portfolio by next year. It is a category we have done really well in before. While we are currently a unisex brand and already offer backpacks for women, adding products like handbags and work totes would be an organic extension of our existing range.
How do you make your products more sustainable?
We are not entirely sustainable yet — achieving 100% sustainability in luggage is quite challenging. However, over 50% of our products are made using eco-friendly materials. We were among the first in India to adopt vegan leather in 2017. We have also created bags using recycled PET bottles and frequently use recycled cotton in our canvas collections.
We do not treat sustainability as a marketing hook — for us, aspects like quality, warranty, and eco-friendliness are essentials, not add-ons. You won’t see flashy advertisements about it, but it’s a value embedded into every product on our site.
Where do you manufacture your products?
We produce and sell around 7 to 8 lakh units annually, averaging about 60,000 to 65,000 units per month. We are targeting around 15 million units in sales annually within the next year..
Around 95% of our products are manufactured in India, primarily in Mumbai. This allows us to maintain close quality control over every item. We work with four exclusive contract manufacturers based in the city, all tied up specifically for Fur Jaden.
The remaining 5% — which includes our newly launched premium luggage line — is sourced from China. This move is more of a learning phase for us to understand the nuances of high-end luggage production. Our plan is to localise that as well by setting up our own facility within the next 12 to 24 months, making us fully India-reliant.
Which region is currently experiencing the highest demand?
Currently, our highest demand is coming from Maharashtra, followed by Gurgaon and then Bengaluru.
What is your current consumer base?
Currently, we have over 1 million customers, and we are aiming to double that in the next 12 to 14 months.
What is Fur Jaden’s current financial position?
We are currently at Rs 60 crore in net revenue, and we have been EBITDA positive since day one. We have never incurred losses, and our business has grown steadily and organically year after year.
We are aiming to reach Rs 100 crore revenue within the next 14 to 16 months. By FY30, our realistic revenue target would be in the range of Rs 700 – 800 crore.
Do you have any plans to take Fur Jaden into global markets?
Not right away. As of now, our focus is on building strong brand recall in India with this initial funding round. Over the next 12–14 months, we want to establish a clear identity and create a successful case study here.
Once we have done that and gained the necessary validation, we will feel more confident about exploring international markets—starting with Australia and the UAE, and eventually the US.
