The Buana Group is comprised of two subsidiaries – Buana Lautan Naga, which serves mid- to low-range retailers, and Buana Samudra Lestari, which serves higher-end brands such as Tom Tailor and retailers including Zara and Bonita. With the main factory located at Cibitung in Bekasi, The Buana Group in totality manufactures 400,000 blouses, dresses and skirts in a wide variety of fabrics and finishes every month. Coupled with its strong relationship with fabric mills in Indonesia and sourcing from China and India, the company continues to successfully meet the growing demands and expectations of customers worldwide.

Maintaining its own team of professional designers and planning two seasons ahead of the trend by working with fashion consultants in Germany, Spain and the United States, The Buana Group’s firm and relentless focus on developing one-of-a-kind and high-value garments on time and at competitive price points is unparallelled. Unlike other manufacturers, the company offers custom-tailored designs and distinct value-added services – such as handcrafted beadwork, creative embroidery, printing, pleating, smocking and innovative washes – included in one price.

As an example of its flexibility and willingness to take on challenging customer requests, The Buana Group worked with European high-street fashion brand Zara in successfully developing customised batik (a traditional Indonesian textile) prints for an initial order of 70,000 garments. The company is the only fabric converter and garment manufacturer in Indonesia with this capability.

“In this business, there are no single players – success is achieved by a chain reaction involving complete teamwork,” Ramchandani says. “From the product development to the final finish and execution, our teams make it happen. Our employees are passionate about what they do, which is why they have become as skilled as they are. Indeed, the efficiency level that we have been able to achieve is phenomenal.”

With the cost-efficient economies of Southeast Asia continuing to be manufacturing hubs of choice for global fashion houses, and the Indonesian government pushing for duty-free trade agreements with the European Union, The Buana Group welcomes partnerships with new buyers, retailers and chain stores. As the unveiling of its new manufacturing facility draws near, the company seeks to add further value to its portfolio of product offerings, such as traditional Indian hand embroidery, with the hopes of eventually launching its own brand locally and emulating some of global fashion’s success stories.

“I believe competition is healthy, and I look at competition globally,” Ramchandani says. “A buyer and supplier relationship should not be restricted to the geographical location. We are a one-stop shop for all product development needs, and our buyers can leave their worries at the door. If the duty-free trade agreements with the EU push through, then sky is the limit – we will definitely rock and roll.”