The Linen Lineage: From Rishra to Paris

From a single mill in Rishra to the fashion ramps of Paris, Aditya Birla Group's Jaya Shree Textiles has spent over 75 years building a business around one of the world's oldest natural fibres. Today, as India's only fully integrated linen manufacturer, it brings together global sourcing, end-to-end manufacturing and material innovation to serve customers in India and around the world.

When the global fashion industry gathers at Première Vision in Paris, the spotlight is no longer on design alone. Increasingly, brands are looking beyond the finished fabric to understand where it comes from, how it is made and whether every stage of production can be traced with confidence.

These are conversations Aditya Birla Group’s Jaya Shree Textiles is well equipped to be part of. Its presence on this global platform reflects a journey that began decades earlier in Rishra, West Bengal.
 

Where India's Linen Story Began

In 1949, just two years after India's independence, Grasim Industries, Aditya Birla Group’s flagship company introduced linen to the country through the establishment of Jaya Shree Textiles at Rishra. At a time when the fabric was largely unfamiliar to Indian consumers, the business began sourcing high-quality flax from Europe and processing it in India, laying the foundation for what would become one of the country's most established linen businesses.
 

By combining European flax with advanced manufacturing capabilities in India, Jaya Shree Textiles established a business that connected the world's finest raw material with Indian craftsmanship.

Over the years, the company also helped expand the domestic market for linen through its retail brand, Linen Club. Today, the brand operates more than 240 exclusive stores and reaches consumers through over 9,000 multi-brand outlets across the country.
 

Building Capability from Fibre to Fabric

As demand for premium natural fibres has grown globally, traceability and consistency have become as important as design. This is where Jaya Shree Textiles' manufacturing model sets it apart. It remains India's only fully integrated linen manufacturer, with every stage of production from spinning and weaving to yarn dyeing and finishing, managed in-house. This integrated approach allows the business to maintain consistent quality across production while offering customers more than 3,000 weaves and textures. It also provides the flexibility to produce smaller, customised lots for fashion brands and retailers, while meeting internationally recognised standards such as OEKO-TEX® and ZDHC.

These capabilities have enabled the business to build relationships with customers that increasingly value transparency alongside product quality.
 

Beyond Linen

While linen has become synonymous with Jaya Shree Textiles in India, the business has also built a significant presence in wool. Its Kolkata facility is India's largest single-location manufacturing unit for worsted yarn and wool tops and houses the country's only superwash yarn facility. Using fine Merino wool, it produces specialised machine-washable worsted yarns for international markets.

Today, nearly 90% of its wool tops and worsted yarn production is exported to countries including the UK, Italy, South Korea and Turkey, reflecting the business's growing global footprint.
 

Looking Ahead

As material innovation continues to shape the textile industry, Jaya Shree Textiles is expanding its focus beyond conventional manufacturing.

Its Circular Solutions range incorporates recycled linen made from pre-consumer industrial waste back into the production process, extending the value of materials that would otherwise go unused. The business has also introduced Silk Touch, a biodegradable blend of linen and cellulosic rayon that combines the appearance and feel of silk with the benefits of natural fibres. Alongside these developments, Jaya Shree Textiles continues to work with organisations such as Woolmark and the European Confederation of Flax and Hemp (CELC) to advance product development and manufacturing practices.

From introducing linen to India in 1949 to representing Indian manufacturing on global platforms such as Première Vision, Jaya Shree Textiles has continually evolved with the industry it serves. More than seven decades on, its journey continues to be shaped by material expertise, integrated manufacturing and a focus on natural fibres that are increasingly valued across the world.