BK Birla group-owned Century Textiles has forayed into branded readymade garments and accessories. It will launch formal shirts and kurtas, to begin with, under the brand name 'Cottons by Century' by this month-end.

R K Dalmia, president, said the company is expecting to sell readymade garments worth Rs 12 crore by end of 2003-04 and expects sales to cross Rs 25 crore by end of 2004-2005. The company hopes to sell about 150,000 shirts and 50,000 kurtas by end of the current year.

"Century will initially launch cotton shirts and kurtas and will later offer other products, including trousers, accessories and women's wear," he said. The 105-year-old cotton textile pioneer was thus far only focusing on fabric exports.

Dalmia said Cottons by Century will be a major thrust area from now on and the range will hit the shelves of more than 50 exclusive stores across 20 cities by end of the current fiscal.

Currently, company-owned stores will hawk the ready-to-wear garments.

The first lot of franchisees are expected to come up within a month in Delhi, Mumbai, Secunderabad, Chennai, Bangalore and Indore.

The company is also planning an image revamp for its showrooms with attractive signages and slick advertising. The game plan is to capture the aspirations of the young go-getters together with the more traditional existing customer base.

The shirts will be offered in both the premium and regular segments. The premium range will be available from Rs 895 to Rs 1,495, while the regulars will be available at Rs 695. Likewise, embroidered and non-embroidered kurtas will be sold for Rs 695 and Rs 795, respectively.

The company, which had test marketed its readymade apparels in Mumbai in October and November 2002, is optimistic about its new venture. KSA Technopak, a leading management consulting firm, is assisting the company in the venture.