In 2024, some youngsters were fed up with the stereotypical image of Kerala portrayed in the mainstream, so they created Thach to reclaim the narrative through fashion.
Instead of a conventional brand, Thach created designs entrenched in their love for cinema and storytelling, deeply rooted in Kerala’s contemporary culture, something that youngsters could relate to.
What started as a venture by students has quickly grown into a business that has collaborated with influential institutions such as TEDx and the International Film Festival of Kerala to date.
Whether it's for the gram, a date or a hangout session with your buddies, what we wear speaks volumes about us. Clothes inevitably become an integral tool of self-expression; the wardrobe an extension of our personality.
In a globally hyper-connected economy, fashion doubles as a way to celebrate one’s cultural heritage while integrating contemporary influences. For the younger generation, it becomes a language through which they negotiate their identity and individuality.
Grappling with the desire to showcase an authentic representation of their culture, a group of Kerala-based students spotted a gap between authentic contemporary Kerala culture and the commonly presented ‘Kerala design’. This led to the creation of Thach, translating to ‘stitch’ in Malayalam, a clothing brand deeply rooted in Kerala’s culture in 2024.
Think of Kerala, and we see the postcard picture version- the backwaters of Alleppey, the tourism campaigns calling it God’s Own Country, the mundu, the thatched roofs, but is that all there is to Kerala? This state represents more than just a nostalgia-driven narrative. The football-obsessed culture, the renaissance of Malayalam cinema, and its beautifully crafted literature encompass a state which is constantly evolving and recalibrating its identity.
Few are privy to the entrepreneurial spirit of Kerala, boasting of businesses such as Muthoot Finance, Kalyan Jewellers and others. Even fewer realise that the young demographic of Kerala yearns for an authentic representation of their culture and identity, most often caricatured or poorly executed through cliched Bollywood portrayals.
A year after Thach’s inception, they decided to launch an offline streetwear brand cart, but the first launch faced technical and power-related issues. But tenacity triumphs failure, pushing them to launch a fully solar-powered streetwear cart in Kerala. Cut to 2026, and they’ve collaborated with several platforms and institutions, including the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), TEDx, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), but the cherry on the top was an international partnership. In a proud moment that defied geographical boundaries, Thach produced the jersey for the Polish-based club Baltic Tuskers FC.
Browsing through their website, you’ll see limited yet unique designs – a mafioso tribute to Don Carleone, a vibrant John Cena graphic with the iconic statement ‘Never Give Up’, a dark goth aesthetic inspired by Medusa’s gaze, but what really stands out is the black and red print t-shirt of legendary Kalari fighter Thacholi Othenan, a significant figure in Kerala’s folklore. Othenan was merciless towards his enemies; friends of the helpless; a devoted son and husband, despite meeting death at the young age of 32, encapsulating the ideals of virtue and courage.
According to IMARC, the market size of India’s custom T-shirt printing was approximately worth Rs 1,688 crores in 2025 and is expected to touch Rs 3,904 crores by 2034 , with an estimated CAGR of 9.75% during the 2026 – 2034 period, signalling its growing acceptance. In this age of algorithms, everyone wants to stand out from the crowd, and choosing curated designs is akin to carefully crafting every word in a sentence that the world shall witness. Except here, the message is visual, ingrained in every stitch of the fabric, silently reaffirmed with every smile, every acknowledging nod of people passing by.
The paradox of life is that change is the only constant, but it is also the thing that petrifies humans to the core. We love the comfort of familiarity, and introducing something new, whether a habit or a lifestyle change, takes a great deal of convincing.
Thach faced similar issues trying to establish itself as a new brand with designs different from the tried and tested formula that businesses resort to. It drives the realisation that building something original and culture-driven takes time and patience, forcing one to focus on long-term vision and strong systems instead of short-term attention.
In our discussion, the founders of Thach discussed one of the often-overlooked yet critical learnings – brands aren’t built through products alone but require the scaffolding of storytelling and community-building. Balancing creativity and commercial viability without losing the true essence of the brand is another important tenet.
French Fashion designer Nicolas Ghesquière believes that fashion should mirror the times you live in, where you get to witness your moment. Thach truly encompasses these values, trying to create contemporary designs resonating with the youngsters while trying to preserve their traditional heritage.
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