Our Story

SREE SANTHOSH GARMENTS

Established in 1986, SSG has grown from small beginnings to one of India’s leading apparel exporters for major brands, including Oliver & Rain. Early adopters of the “green” approach for all aspects of business, SSG’s sustainability mission mirrors that of Oliver & Rain’s: “To conduct a profitable business in an ethical manner which protects the ecosystem”. The team at SSG focuses on four key areas:

• to constantly seek new ways to save energy
• to continuously reduce waste from all operations
• to make products that are safe for consumers and the environment
• to share knowledge and resources with employees and communities that will improve their quality of life.
  
  SSG takes pride in their SA 8000:2001 accreditation and numerous other ethical and ecological awards. They have a keen focus on staff welfare and quality of working conditions, and proudly hold environmental initiatives at the heart of their corporate philosophy. SSG remains strongly committed to the tenets of the UN Millennium Development Goals.
  
  
  

  ECO-FRIENDLY MANUFACTURING

  The home to SSG is a unique state-of-the-art 4,600m2 vertically integrated knit composite factory and is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum Category certified. Flooded with natural light through large windows and skylights, the factory adopts a number of measures to reduce power consumption such as; fully insulated Galvalume roofing for heat reflection, rain harvesting systems, water recycling including sewage, humidifying working areas instead of air-conditioning for a more comfortable atmosphere, and an abundance of natural greenery across the site.
  
  

  

  WIND FARMS

  Power generation through windmill installation re-affirms SSG’s position as a socially responsible corporation. 25 such mills have been installed to date, generating nearly 23 million units annually. The electricity produced from the wind energy generators is used for captive consumption at all four of SSG’s production plants, and the surplus electricity is sold to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board.
  
  

  

  SOLAR POWER

  Solar energy is one of the most abundant, yet least harvested, sources of energy on earth. As part of SSG’s commitment to renewable energy, SSG utilizes solar cookers and heaters at their dyeing unit which caters to the needs of the canteen kitchen and the process of producing steam. Although the cost of production from solar heaters is much higher than conventional boilers, SSG is committed to solar heaters as they are 100% pollution free, whilst conventional boilers are not.
  
  

  

  ZERO LIQUID EFFLUENT DISCHARGE

  To achieve zero liquid effluent discharge, SSG has salt and water recycling plants whereby a multi-effect evaporator and crystallizer is utilized to recover and reuse salt and water. The company also has a primary, secondary, and tertiary effluent treatment plant with a reverse osmosis system for recycling water. Together, these plants are capable of treating 3000kgs of salt and 6,000,000 liters of water daily.
  
  

  

  ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

  All products made by SSG are Oeko-Tex 100 Standard, Class 1 certified—which guarantees the safety of the textiles and dyestuffs for health and the environment. In addition, SSG makes every effort to apply environmentally-friendly methods throughout the production process.
  
  

  

  100% ORGANIC PRODUCTS

  All SSG products conform to the global Organic Textiles Standard (GOTS) and are Control Union certified. This certification covers farming, production, and distribution, and it ensures full traceability of every product across the entire supply chain. Under these organic standards, farmer and agricultural workers are protected by stringent controls on the use of health endangering pesticides. Farmers are also relieved from the burdensome debt of purchasing ever increasing amounts of foreign chemicals.
  
  

  

  LOW WATER FOOTPRINT

  Did you know, with conventional cotton farming, it can take more than 20,000 liters of water to produce just 1kg of cotton? That’s only enough to make a single t-shirt and a pair of jeans! SSG’s strategic location receives up to 95% of its water from monsoon rain. The rainwater reduces the need for large-scale irrigation projects which are often associated with conventional cotton farming, and very importantly, it also avoids depriving local villages of scarce water supplies.
  
  

  

  FAIR TRADE & FAIR WEAR AUDITS

  To help tackle the social injustice often seen in manufacturing, the Fair Wear Foundation enables transparency through an independent audit of the whole supply chain. The foundation promotes fair labor conditions in the clothing industry. As a socially responsible employer and leading member of India’s business community, SSG fully supports all initiatives to improve working conditions and social welfare.
  
  

  

  LOW CARBON

  All of SSG’s factories and facilities are powered by “green” electricity powered by their own wind turbines.
  
  

  

  WATER TREATMENT

  Dye effluent processing is carried out in a closed-loop purification system using treatment ponds, sand filtration and reverse osmosis, converting wastewater into clean water using solar power.
  
  

  

  CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT

  As the world faces the ever-increasing effects of climate change, Oliver & Rain is committed to adapting to these changes and doing everything we can to create a long-term sustainable business. As responsible corporate citizens, we understand the importance of a balance between profits, environments and community; and to that end, Sree Santhosh Garments is, and always has been, an obvious partnership.
  
  Together with Sree Santhosh Garments, we continue to address issues like water usage and recycling, waste management, environmental compliance, and conservation of natural resources. Our promise at Oliver & Rain is to not only bring you the very best in quality—but also designs made in purposeful earth-friendly ways designed to leave the world a better place for our children.