Our Journey in the Automotive Industry

Footwear has always been a fundamental part of the dynamic world of fashion. With an array of styles and materials available, consumers expect not only trendy designs but also high-quality products that prioritise comfort, safety, and durability, which is why our clients at Klassik request the same. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) recently stepped in to ensure that footwear manufacturing adheres to certain strict quality standards. We live in an ever-changing world and are always expected to adjust to the ‘new normal’. That being said, as a company, Klassik always ensures that adjusting to novelty is a seamless process for us as well as our clients.

The BIS, or Bureau of Indian Standards, is a national body in India responsible for setting standards for various products, including footwear. These mandatory quality standards are created to ensure that small-scale, medium-scale and large-scale footwear manufacturers produce safe, reliable, and high-quality products. These various norms for footwear manufacturing encompass a wide range of aspects, including material specifications, testing procedures, and labelling requirements.

‍

“The standards prescribe what kind of raw material like leather, PVC, and rubber to be used in manufacturing footwear besides norms on making soles and heels, among other parts of the footwear.” says an article in The Economic Times.

‍

This step is essentially being taken so that India can maintain the same quality standards that you see globally. As a country, we are growing and evolving and want to maintain the same standards as our peers.

‍

As per the norms BIS all PVC products are now meant to be phthalate-free. Phthalates are a group of synthetic chemicals that are used to manufacture a wide range of products and are now banned from the PVC industry. They have many harmful side effects and we as a company stand against using chemicals that don’t benefit our clients in any way whatsoever.

‍

Another part of the BIS norm states that the tearing strength of PVC products used as uppers should be more than 3kg to ensure durability, which essentially means that a force of 3kg or greater needs to be applied to tear the PVC textile through and through. For this reason, all products manufactured by us follow this norm very specifically and are termed as high-tear.

‍

The change in norms made by the BIS did create a buzz in the manufacturing industry however, for us at Klassik, we were more than accommodating to this development. Klassik possesses all the required equipment and machinery to adhere to these standard norms. The PVR leather we manufacture for footwear already meets the requirements of these norms due to the state-of-the-art infrastructure we have invested in.

‍

As a company, we believe in investing in the future, and that mindset has stood advantageous to us today as we can seamlessly adjust to the changing and upgrading norms of the industry and supply only the best material to our clientele in India and abroad. This is also the reason why the new BIS norms do not pose a threat to our production process, or change in prices. Thus maintaining the same high-quality standards without anything affecting our relationship with our clients and factory workers.

We at Klassik, function as a team but also as a family. When it comes to running a large business with employees from various backgrounds and strata, we believe it is essential to find ways to create bonds that make working together a smooth and seamless process. Keeping our employees happy and satisfied is a big part of our company ethos and culture.

‍

Apart from the regular check-ins to ensure everything is running smoothly, we also host company events that help blow off steam and create a lively, healthy environment. However, these events or activities, as we call them, are not only aimed at leisure but have certain wellness aspects to them.  

‍

One of the activities, which we find extremely beneficial, is the Health Camp. Many people in India do not have easy access to quality healthcare. We want our employees to be healthy and happy as they work hard to make our brand what it is. A Health Camp is conducted on a yearly basis to identify any undetected health issues that our employees might be suffering from. Furthermore, we take proactive steps to ensure the treatment of any health concern, if detected. We want to work towards a healthier future and ensure our employees’ utmost comfort and well-being.

‍

Another event, which is popular amongst all employees, is the Cricket Tournament. Cricket is one of the most beloved sports in India and who doesn’t love some friendly competition to distract themselves from the stress of work with an enjoyable game. We host the Cricket Tournament twice a year - during Summer and Winter, which gives our employees something to look forward to as a much-needed break from their daily routines. This event is a big team-building activity in which more and more employees seem eager to participate. Apart from promoting teamwork, playing a sport is also a great way to build physical fitness, further boosting endurance and stamina.

‍

International Yoga Day is observed yearly on 21st June, and we at Klassik conduct a yoga session for our employees every year. Yoga is an activity that not only boosts physical health but also mental well-being. It is important for us to ensure that our employees are looked after physically and mentally. The yoga session aims to reduce mental stress, increase energy levels and improve physical fitness as well as flexibility. Healthy employees, as it turns out, are happy employees.  

‍

Getting our employees together to participate in activities other than work is a great way to create a positive work culture and environment. We take the health and wellness of our employees very seriously. Most people might not have access to medical attention or have time to take a break from daily routines with yoga sessions and cricket matches but we want to ensure they receive all the attention they need.

‍

While keeping all customers and clients happy is a major priority for any business, one must not forget about keeping the hardworking employees happy too.

At Klassik, we truly believe that CSR extends beyond just financial contributions. Our team has aimed to make a positive impact by empowering local communities through our CSR efforts.

‍

We want to create tangible, lasting impacts, and one of our core commitments has been investing in the development of local schools. We provide support that addresses real needs and makes a direct difference in the lives of students and educators.

‍

Our various initiatives over the years include not only building roads to schools but also donating water coolers to ensure students stay hydrated and helping with infrastructure repairs to create better learning environments for the kids.

‍

This year’s CSR initiative has been a special and important one. We have worked towards improving the outdoor facilities in two local schools near our factory- one primary and one secondary. This initiative was born out of a common problem faced by students and teachers alike- an unpaved ground that was difficult to use. The ground was practically unusable due to it being a pit. It was hard for the schools to use as children could not sit or play on it without ruining their clothes; during rainy days, it would become a muddy mess; and on windy days, the dust would be hazardous to the eyes and lungs. This made having any outdoor activities impossible.

‍

We wanted to step in and provide a solution that would benefit the students, teachers, and the community at large and so we decided to transform the barren land into a permanent, usable ground by installing interlocking tiles. We wanted to ensure that the school had a clean, safe, and durable surface for students to engage in outdoor activities.

‍

Our team was invited for the inauguration of the newly built ground with a very special welcome. We got a chance to interact with the faculty as they expressed their gratitude for the latest development. They were looking forward to using the new ground. Their response was overwhelming, making us trust that our efforts are going in the right place for the right reasons. With CSR, it is very essential to choose projects that will make positive impacts tomorrow, starting today.

‍

At Klassik, all our initiatives are chosen by the team and not the top management, making them all the more meaningful. They help the company identify pressing issues and ensure more involvement in the community. These are employees who are deeply connected to the community and understand the challenges they face. With their help, we are able to tackle one concern at a time with our CSR efforts. We will continue our efforts in supporting local schools and creating a better environment for the leaders of tomorrow.

Our future plan is to expand our CSR initiatives to include even more projects that improve education and infrastructure for the new generations.