KVIC's legal notice to Fabindia for removal of 'Khadi' from price tags
KVIC's legal notice to Fabindia for removal of 'Khadi' from price tags

Fabindia, the retailer of handmade garments, organic food and furnishings, is still in the process of removing the word 'khadi' from the price tags of products made of the hand-woven fabric, 18 months after receiving a notice for using the term without permission.

The procedure is a huge task and is taking time, said a person aware of the development. The Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, had first sent a letter to the company in August 2015, asking it to stop using the word khadi on its products without proper permission.

Fabindia sought and failed to get the requisite approval. The commission has once again sent a legal notice to Fabindia, stating that the retailer was using the word khadi without approval.

Viney Singh, CEO, Fabindia, said, "Fabindia is in receipt of the notice issued by the KVIC dated 08.02.2017 and has responded to it. We have sought an appointment from the designated authorities at the KVIC to explain our position in person and resolve the matter. We await a response from the KVIC."

He said that as an organisation, Fabindia has always greatly valued the vision and intent of the KVIC.

"We have worked with the KVIC since our inception 57 years ago. We look forward to an early resolution," he said.

KVIC said in the legal notice that a scrutiny showed that the labels on the retailer’s garments mentioned them as 'Fabindia Cotton' although the price tags, which were removable, had the word 'khadi.'

 
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