In India’s fast-changing direct-to-consumer market, where new categories, digital brands, and personalization are changing how people shop, Sanas, a Pune-based hair accessories brand, is a D2C startup to watch. Since its start in 2018, the brand has made a name for itself in the Indian beauty market. Now, it wants to grow and hit Rs 100 crore in annual sales in the next five years, which has caught the attention of D2C industry experts, investors, and retail analysts.
Sanas was started by Husain Saifuddin Kagalwala and grew out of his family’s business, Sanas Collection, which sold imitation jewelry and accessories. Seeing the limits of having just one store, Husain turned the business into a digital-first D2C brand that offers high-quality hair fashion to Indian customers. This change grew the brand’s customer base and matched it with the growth of D2C business and the increasing demand for premium fashion brands.
Today, Sanas has a strong omnichannel D2C strategy, with 70% of its sales online and 30% offline. Amazon India is its main source of online revenue. Its presence on Amazon in the US, Canada, and Mexico makes up 5–7% of its total revenue, showing that Indian D2C brands are growing outside of India. The brand recently started using quick commerce through Blinkit and Amazon Now, and it plans to integrate with Myntra soon, which will help it grow its D2C business.
Instead of expanding to many platforms, Sanas plans to focus on improving its presence on existing platforms and using brand-led storytelling, which is a strategy used by many fast-growing D2C brands. Its goals include getting 5–10% of its revenue through Myntra, 10–15% through Blinkit, and 10–15% from its own website. This reflects a strong D2C strategy that focuses on keeping customers, repeat purchases, and understanding the market.
Sanas stands out in the competitive hair extensions market because of its focus on quality, supported by product research and development. Since supply chains are very important in D2C retail, Sanas sources materials from India, Korea, and China, ensuring it has access to materials that are as good as those used by global brands. Every product is tested and refined to make sure that even a simple hair clip doesn’t break or damage hair, which is based on understanding how D2C consumers are changing.
Sanas is planning to expand into grooming, personal care, skincare, and nailcare, entering markets that are often dominated by imported or unorganized businesses. The new products will include hair dryers, straighteners, brushes, scalp massagers, trimmers, nail fillers, and cuticle pushers, along with products that are aligned with sustainable brands. This expansion reflects D2C market trends, where brands are moving from selling single products to offering lifestyle solutions.
Currently, Sanas is growing at 20% year-over-year and wants to increase this to 100% year-over-year in the next three years. This goal matches what investors are looking for in D2C funding, startup values, and the performance of VC-backed brands. If it succeeds, Sanas could become one of the best-performing D2C brands and a strong contender for a future IPO.
By focusing on innovation, consumer value, and a strong brand, Sanas wants to become a well-known name, supported by loyal customers and a differentiated product line. In a time when D2C news focuses on brands that are creating new categories, Sanas is changing how beauty accessories are bought, used, and owned.
