Certified organic Swiss fabrics from Hakoba, Inc. Showcased at Queens Botanical Garden

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Hakoba, Inc., a New York based Indian owned business featured at the recent World of Orchids Exhibition at the Queens Botanical Garden in Flushing. It qualified for inclusion based on the strict criteria of the Botanical Garden for use of all natural and organic material.

Hakoba fabrics are certified organic by ‘Swiss Organic Fabrics’, are one hundred percent Swiss made and are of the highest quality fabrics produced under strict rules that are followed through all stages of production under ecological conditions.

The Japanese term Hakoba is used for fine embroidery with white or colored thread and represents a widespread embroidery style. Hakoba sarees are a combination of Swiss fabrics and Japanese embroidery.

“Swiss cotton is an exclusive and rare raw material higher than even Egyptian cotton and Dhaka mulmuls,” said CEO Mukesh Shah to Desi Talk in an exclusive interview. He said only two percent of the global organic cotton meets the criteria of extra long staple cotton 35-55 mm fiber length.

Previously known as Fujiyama Fabrics located at 264 West 40^th Street, Shah’s company offers high quality fabrics and sarees, shawls, sweaters and designer scarves. Shah’s Hakoba sarees have been known for their white and multi colored embroidery on soft chiffons and cottons and printed cotton sarees. “Visitors to New York city and visitors to India both buy dozens of them as gifts for their friends and family in India,” said Shah.

Having started his business in his twenties, Shah said he traveled to Switzerland and Japan in search of fine fabrics and was overwhelmed and excited at the quality he found in Switzerland. He said he did not waste any money on sightseeing in the countries he was visiting for the first time, but came back with bagfuls of fabric samples.

Designing sarees from these fabrics was his idea and he soon became a designer and a creator, manufacturing Hakoba sarees. Shah said his business expanded rapidly with his hard work and his creative marketing plans offering great profits to group purchases by family and friends. In 1998, he incorporated his company under the new name of Hakoba and registered it as a small business in New York City.

Hakoba, Inc. now includes fabrics and fashions for men also. A new featured product, ‘Hakoba for Royals’ is made from 100% superfine Swiss Cotton. Going over the intricacies, Shah said, “The staple length of the yarn is long, but the fibers are very strong.” These are then woven on the most modern looms at reduced speed in a highly complex movement to guarantee absolute precision and attention to detail, Shah explained.

The resulting Swiss cotton is produced with a specially designed finishing treatment, Shah said. He said, “It gives the fabric its natural silk feel and extraordinary brightness”. Shah said that Swiss fabric he uses is extraordinarily fine and strong and lustrous and is extremely comfortable. \The material’s freshness and brightness does not decrease with washing. Instead it becomes softer, Shah said.

Shah spoke about a business set back in recent years when he had to deal with a 5-year-long lawsuit to reclaim his high-jacked domain name. Finally, after winning the lawsuit, he is now geared up to recharge his business at full speed, he said.

During this time, he shifted his showroom from Manhattan to Queens where his old customers have been shopping regularly, he said. Many also shop online at hakoba.com.

Shah said his future plans include setting up a showroom at the international airport and several independent stores in New York and New Jersey.