What began as a digital-first platform specialising in bespoke pants, The Pant Project has since expanded its offerings to include ready-to-wear options crafted with the same attention to quality and detail…
The Pant Project was founded in 2020 by brothers Dhruv and Udit Toshniwal to revolutionise the way Indians shop for pants. Recognising the lack of a digital solution for custom-made pants, the Toshniwal brothers launched a platform backed by their family’s 45 years of textile experience with a modern twist.
What began as a digital-first platform specialising in bespoke pants, The Pant Project has since expanded its offerings to include ready-to-wear options crafted with the same attention to quality and detail. The D2C brand has also gone omnichannel since its inception, with a presence of 7 offline stores and plans to open more stores in 2025.
In a freewheeling chat, Dhruv Toshniwal, CEO and Co-Founder, The Pant Project, talks about the brand’s journey, the innovative use of technology in redefining custom-made clothing, their strategic expansion plans, and their approach to meeting the demands of modern consumers…
Edited excerpts from the chat:
How do you ascertain customer sizes for custom made clothing? Do you use any technology for precise measurements?
Technology plays a pivotal role in helping us ensure precise sizing for custom-made clothing. At The Pant Project, we use an easy-to-navigate online measurement guide that simplifies the process for our customers. This guide is supported by advanced systems that analyse the measurements provided, ensuring accuracy and a perfect fit.
Additionally, our operations leverage technology to streamline order tracking, quality control, and efficiency as we scale. We use a data-driven approach that helps us to refine our fits while also introducing new fabrics based on customer feedback and preferences, ensuring constant improvement.
By blending cutting-edge technology with skilled craftsmanship, we’ve created a seamless, hassle-free experience for our customers—making personalised clothing both effortless and enjoyable.
Since you are an online first brand, do returns pose a big challenge? What is the percentage of returns for your brand?
Our return rate is much lower than the fashion industry average, falling within the single digits. This success can be attributed to several key factors: our emphasis on custom-made pants, the use of stretch fabrics that offer greater flexibility in sizing, and our commitment to providing a seamless customer experience.
Our online measurement guides are designed to be user-friendly and provide precise instructions to ensure accurate measurements. Additionally, our dedicated customer support team proactively reaches out to customers if any inconsistencies are detected in the measurements provided, ensuring accuracy and reducing the likelihood of sizing issues. This approach has significantly contributed to minimising returns and maximising customer satisfaction.
How is technology shaping the future of shopping at The Pant Project?
Technology is at the heart of The Pant Project’s personalised approach and shapes the future of shopping with us in several exciting ways:
Our easy-to-use online measurement guides, powered by advanced algorithms, ensure accurate measurements for custom-made pants, making it incredibly convenient for customers to order their perfect fit from anywhere. We’re also exploring virtual try-on tools that will allow customers to visualise how different styles and fits will look on them before making a purchase.
We also leverage data-driven insights to constantly improve our offerings. By analysing customer data, we can refine our fits, introduce new fabrics based on preferences, and personalise recommendations for a truly tailored shopping journey.
To create a seamless omnichannel experience, we’re integrating our online and offline channels, providing a consistent and convenient experience whether customers shop with us online or in-store.
Finally, to provide complete transparency and visibility, we’ve developed our own unique order tracking system. Once a customer places an order, they can track its progress at every stage, from pattern cutting and stitching to quality checks and dispatch. This gives our customers a sense of ownership and excitement as they follow their custom-made pants through the creation process.
Tell us about your market presence, are you looking to expand? If yes, in which areas?
In 2025, we have outlined a strategic roadmap to significantly enhance our market presence. Our plans include establishing offline stores in major cities across the country, providing customers with an opportunity to engage with our brand in a physical retail environment and experience our products first-hand.
Furthermore, we are expanding our product portfolio to include denims, athleisure, and smart casual pants, catering to a broader spectrum of customer preferences and requirements.
In line with these initiatives, we are targeting an ambitious milestone of surpassing the 100-crore annual revenue mark in FY 2025-26, reflecting our commitment to sustained growth and market leadership.
Are you also looking to expand your categories, for women or men?
Currently, our focus remains on perfecting our range of custom-made pants while offering a variety of SKUs that cater to formal, casual, and loungewear needs. Alongside our bespoke options, we’re also expanding our ready-to-wear collection to provide quick access to high-quality, well-fitting pants without compromising on style or comfort.
While there is potential for future expansion into other categories for both men and women, our priority, for now, is to continue excelling in our core offering—delivering unparalleled fit and craftsmanship in every pair of pants we make.
What marketing strategies are you employing to expand your reach?
Our marketing strategy is a dynamic blend of digital initiatives and offline experiences. Social media and meta-ads are central to our digital approach, allowing us to reach and engage with customers through compelling content and targeted campaigns.
As we expand our retail presence, we’re focusing on hyperlocal partnerships and BTL activations to drive foot traffic to our stores and create a buzz within local communities. We also continue to leverage impactful strategies like our ‘Pro for Pro’ series, which highlights inspiring customers who are experts in their respective fields, showcasing the diverse individuals who wear The Pant Project.
And to create deeper engagement and brand affinity, we invest in experiential marketing, crafting unique events and installations that resonate with our audience and leave a lasting impression.
We have some exciting campaigns planned for the coming months, including an experience in front of our Hughes Road store during the Tata Mumbai Marathon on January 19th.
How is The Pant Project addressing the growing demand for inclusivity in fashion, such as size diversity or gender-neutral designs?
At The Pant Project, we offer a wide range of sizes, from 28 to 48+, catering to diverse body types with our custom-made options. We are also expanding our ready-to-wear size range.
We’re also actively exploring gender-neutral designs. In fact, our best-selling pants are often solid, customisable colors that can be styled and worn by anyone, regardless of gender.
How are you working to adapt your offerings to Gen Z consumers?
We’re adapting our offerings for Gen Z by expanding our denim and ready to wear collections. We now offer trend-forward styles like relaxed fits and power stretch denim that resonate with their desire for individuality.
Comfort and versatility are also key considerations, as we design pants that can be dressed up or down, reflecting Gen Z’s fluid lifestyle. To further engage this generation, we’re building a community through interactive experiences, like our Mood Indigo activation, which foster a sense of belonging and encourage self-expression. And in line with their values, we’re prioritising sustainability by exploring eco-friendly fabrics and production methods.
Gen Z consumers are drawn to clothing that reflects their values of comfort, versatility, and individuality. We feature design elements like stretch fabrics, relaxed fits, and adjustable waistbands, or functional features like hidden pockets, reinforced stitching and wrinkle-resistant fabrics for the modern consumer.
