Ramraj Cotton
Indian ethnic-wear brand known for cotton dhotis, veshtis and traditional apparel.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Ramraj Cotton is an Indian ethnic-wear brand built around cotton clothing and the cultural repositioning of the dhoti and veshti as contemporary, aspirational garments. The business originated in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, in 1983, when K. R. Nagarajan established a small trading office under the name Ramraj Khadi Traders. The venture was associated with a concern for local weavers and with a desire to make traditional Indian attire commercially viable. Its name was derived from elements connected with Nagarajan and his father, Ramaswamy, while the brand’s early message combined tradition with modern presentation. The company changed its name to Ramraj Cotton in 1987 as it moved away from khadi and concentrated on premium cotton fabrics. Its initial focus was the white cotton dhoti, a garment that was often treated as ceremonial or regional rather than as a mainstream fashion product. Ramraj expanded its range between 1989 and 1994 to include white shirts, innerwear and other men’s clothing. This created a coordinated traditional wardrobe rather than a single-product business. In 1999, it opened its first exclusive showroom in Tiruppur, followed by additional stores across southern India. Ramraj’s core marketing proposition has been that traditional clothing can represent dignity, confidence and cultural pride. The “Salute Ramraj” platform, developed under Nagarajan’s direction, used prominent actors and an anthem-like presentation to elevate the public image of the dhoti. The campaign was linked to Nagarajan’s reported experience of being denied entry to a five-star hotel while wearing ethnic clothing. Rather than abandoning the garment, the brand used the episode to argue that the dhoti should command the same respect as formal Western attire. Actors associated with the brand have included Jayaram, Venkatesh Daggubati, Rana Daggubati and Ramesh Aravind. The company broadened its portfolio through specialist and sub-brand offerings. These have included children’s products under Little Stars, linen shirts under Linen Park, adjustable dhotis under Genxt, silk products under Lagnaa and women’s and children’s apparel under Ramyyam. Product innovation has focused on convenience as well as tradition: pocket dhotis add storage for personal items, while Velcro and adjustable versions are designed to simplify dressing, particularly for children and new users. Ramraj has also been associated with a large range of dhoti variations, reportedly numbering in the thousands. Distribution has expanded from exclusive outlets in Tamil Nadu and other southern states to a wider Indian retail network, including multi-brand stores. The brand introduced an e-commerce platform in 2019 to support online ordering from international customers. It has also exported textile products and garments to markets including Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia and the United States, with later references identifying a broader overseas presence. Ramraj’s international appeal is primarily connected with the Indian diaspora and with consumers seeking regional Indian clothing. The brand has periodically received national visibility through public figures wearing its products. Narendra Modi’s appearance in a Ramraj dhoti during his 2019 meeting with Xi Jinping in Mamallapuram brought particular attention to the brand, while his appearance in traditional attire at the 2022 Chess Olympiad opening in Chennai further associated the product with public ceremonial occasions. Ramraj has continued to invest in retail expansion, celebrity endorsements, sports partnerships and accessible garment formats. In 2023, Venkatesh Daggubati inaugurated the company’s 250th Indian store in Vijayawada. In 2024, the brand announced Rishab Shetty as an ambassador and became associated with Chennaiyin FC; in 2025 it announced a campaign involving Abhishek Bachchan and Chennaiyin FC. Its contemporary positioning combines regional identity, mass-market retail, traditional craftsmanship and practical adaptation.
History
Ramraj Cotton began in 1983 in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, as Ramraj Khadi Traders, a small trading operation founded by K. R. Nagarajan. The initial business was established with an emphasis on traditional attire, especially the dhoti, and was also connected with concern for the livelihoods of local weavers. The operation reportedly started with minimal physical resources before developing into a specialized textile and apparel business. In 1987, the company adopted the Ramraj Cotton name as cotton became its principal material and its commercial focus shifted away from khadi. The brand concentrated on premium-looking white cotton garments, especially dhotis and shirts. Between 1989 and 1994, it expanded into innerwear and additional men’s clothing. This broadened the business from a single traditional garment into a more complete ethnic-apparel proposition. Its first exclusive showroom opened in Tiruppur in 1999, after which the company developed a network across southern India. A major part of Ramraj’s development was its effort to change perceptions of the dhoti. Through the Salute Ramraj platform, the company used actors, advertising and a recurring cultural message to present the garment as dignified, fashionable and suitable for public and formal settings. The brand’s marketing narrative drew on Nagarajan’s reported experience of being refused entry to a luxury hotel while dressed in ethnic clothing. The resulting positioning treated the dhoti not as an old-fashioned alternative but as a symbol of Indian identity that could be upgraded through fabric quality, styling and presentation. During the 2000s and 2010s, Ramraj extended its distribution across South India and added product and sub-brand variety. It developed children’s clothing, linen shirts, silk products and adjustable dhotis. It also introduced practical designs such as pocket dhotis and Velcro dhotis for children. These changes addressed portability and ease of use while retaining the recognizable traditional silhouette. By 2017, the company was reported to have three production facilities in Tamil Nadu, more than 82 exclusive outlets and approximately 6,000 multi-brand outlets across southern territories. Ramraj began increasing its international reach during the 2010s. It exported textile products and garments to markets including Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia and the United States, and later described a presence in a wider group of countries. Its 2019 e-commerce launch supported customers outside its physical retail footprint. The company also used diaspora events and cultural showcases to display dhotis, salwars and sarees to international audiences. A 2009 fashion presentation in Atlanta involving the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America illustrated the brand’s connection with overseas Tamil and Indian communities. Public-figure endorsements reinforced the company’s cultural visibility. Jayaram was associated with the brand from around 2010, Venkatesh Daggubati joined its ambassador roster in 2016, and Ramesh Aravind was associated with the brand in 2021. Narendra Modi’s use of Ramraj-branded traditional attire in 2019 and 2022 generated additional attention. The company also expanded beyond men’s clothing: by 2020, women’s and children’s products were being offered through the Ramyyam sub-brand. Retail growth continued into the 2020s. In 2023, Venkatesh Daggubati inaugurated the company’s 250th Indian store in Vijayawada. The brand subsequently announced Rishab Shetty as an ambassador, formed an association with Chennaiyin FC and announced a 2025 campaign with Abhishek Bachchan and the football club. Ramraj’s evolution therefore combines traditional-garment advocacy, cotton and textile specialization, product adaptation, celebrity advertising, regional retail strength and international distribution. References also describe sustainability efforts, although detailed independently sourced information about specific programs, targets and results is limited.
- 2023
250th Indian store inaugurated
[1]Venkatesh Daggubati inaugurated Ramraj’s 250th store in Vijayawada.
- 2021
Gandhiya Dhoti Centennial Celebration
[1]The company staged an event marking the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi’s historic adoption of dhoti attire.
- 2020
Women’s and children’s apparel expanded
[1]The Ramyyam sub-brand extended the company’s offer beyond its traditional men’s-wear base.
- 2019
E-commerce platform launched
[1]Ramraj introduced an online ordering platform aimed at domestic and international customers.
- 2015
Pocket and children’s dhotis introduced
[1]Ramraj added pocket dhotis and Velcro versions designed to improve convenience for adults and children.
- 2013
Sub-brand and export expansion
[1]The company expanded internationally and developed lines including Little Stars, Linen Park, Genxt and Lagnaa.
- 2009
International cultural fashion presentation
[1]A large presentation in Atlanta showcased Ramraj-associated dhotis, salwars and sarees to an overseas audience.
- 2001
Salute Ramraj campaign developed
[1]The brand introduced the Salute Ramraj platform to promote dhotis as symbols of dignity and cultural pride.
- 1999
First exclusive showroom opens
[1]Ramraj opened its first exclusive showroom in Tiruppur.
- 1987
Business renamed Ramraj Cotton
[1]The company adopted the Ramraj Cotton name as it concentrated on premium cotton fabrics rather than khadi.
Products and positioning
A traditional Indian apparel brand that modernizes and popularizes dhotis, veshtis and related ethnic clothing through premium cotton, practical product design, celebrity marketing and broad retail distribution.
Traditional menswear · 1983
Dhotis and veshtis
The brand’s signature category consists principally of white cotton dhotis and veshtis, offered in numerous fabric, border and construction variations. Ramraj markets these garments for religious, ceremonial, social and everyday use, presenting them as both culturally rooted and suitable for modern public life.
Menswear · 1989
Cotton shirts
White cotton shirts form a complementary part of Ramraj’s traditional wardrobe proposition. They are commonly paired with dhotis or veshtis and help the brand offer a coordinated ethnic look rather than selling the dhoti as an isolated garment.
Functional traditional wear · 2015
Pocket dhotis
Pocket dhotis were developed to address a practical limitation of traditional garments by providing space for items such as phones, wallets or handkerchiefs. The design illustrates Ramraj’s wider approach of retaining the familiar dhoti form while adding features associated with contemporary everyday clothing.
Traditional wear
Adjustable and Velcro dhotis
Ramraj’s adjustable, Velcro and Ottikko Kattikko dhotis are intended to make traditional dress easier to wear. The products are particularly relevant to children and to consumers unfamiliar with tying a conventional dhoti, using simplified fastening or adjustment mechanisms.
Linen shirts · 2013
Linen Park
Linen Park is a Ramraj-associated line focused on linen shirts. It extends the brand’s natural-fibre and warm-climate apparel proposition beyond its best-known cotton dhotis and shirts.
Silk ethnic wear · 2013
Lagnaa
Lagnaa is a sub-brand associated with pure silk fabrics and garments. Its role is to give Ramraj a more formal and occasion-oriented offering alongside its predominantly cotton-based products.
Children’s wear · 2013
Little Stars
Little Stars is the brand’s children’s line. It supports the company’s effort to introduce traditional clothing to younger wearers, including through simplified dhoti formats and practical fastening systems.
Women’s and children’s ethnic wear · 2020
Ramyyam
Ramyyam represents Ramraj’s move into women’s and children’s apparel. The line broadens the business from a largely male traditional-wear specialist into a more complete family-oriented ethnic-clothing retailer.
Marketing campaigns
- 2025Abhishek Bachchan and Chennaiyin FC campaign
India
Ramraj announced a campaign combining actor Abhishek Bachchan’s endorsement with its Chennaiyin FC partnership.
- 2021Gandhiya Dhoti Centennial Celebration
India
Ramraj organized a commemorative event centered on the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi’s historic adoption of dhoti attire.
Outcome. The initiative reinforced the company’s association with national history and the cultural significance of the dhoti.
- 2009FeTNA Atlanta fashion presentation
United States
A large overseas cultural event presented men and women wearing Ramraj-associated dhotis, salwars and sarees.
Outcome. The event demonstrated the brand’s engagement with the North American Tamil and Indian diaspora.
- 2001Salute Ramraj
India
A long-running brand platform used advertising, celebrity participation and a musical theme to present the dhoti as a garment of confidence, respect and Indian cultural pride.
Outcome. The campaign helped make traditional dhoti wear more visible and contributed to a more positive contemporary perception of the garment.
Brand decisions
2024
Partnership with Chennaiyin FCOtherBackground
Ramraj sought to connect its traditional Indian apparel identity with contemporary sports audiences.
Action taken
The brand announced a partnership with Chennaiyin FC as a presenting sponsor.
Aftermath
The partnership created a platform for broader visibility in Indian football and supported later joint campaign activity.
2020
Expansion into family ethnic wearStrategyBackground
Ramraj had historically been most closely associated with men’s dhotis, veshtis and shirts.
Action taken
The company expanded women’s and children’s apparel through the Ramyyam sub-brand.
Aftermath
The move broadened the brand’s potential customer base and supported a family-oriented retail proposition.
2019
Move into e-commerceStrategyBackground
The company had expanded beyond its southern Indian retail base and served overseas customers through exports and diaspora demand.
Action taken
Ramraj launched an e-commerce platform for worldwide online ordering.
Aftermath
The platform provided a direct ordering channel for customers outside the brand’s physical showroom network.
1987
Shift from khadi trading to premium cotton brandingStrategyBackground
The original business operated as Ramraj Khadi Traders, while the brand sought a stronger focus on cotton apparel.
Action taken
The company adopted the Ramraj Cotton name and centered its proposition on cotton fabrics, especially dhotis and shirts.
Aftermath
The change established the identity under which the brand subsequently expanded its ethnic-apparel business.
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