Who is Dhruv Toshniwal? The Pant Project raises ₹109 cr as menswear brand plans major retail expansion
Dhruv Toshniwal, co-founder and chief executive of Indian menswear brand The Pant Project, is building a business around a familiar problem: finding trousers that fit properly.
Dhruv Toshniwal comes from a family with a long-standing connection to the textile industry. His family's business background includes Banswara Syntex, a textile manufacturer established in 1976 by his grandfather.
He founded this company with his brother Udit Toshniwal in 2020, the company has grown from an online specialist in well-fitting trousers into a premium clothing label.
Its latest milestone is a ₹109 crore funding round announced in October 2026, which will support an ambitious expansion of its physical stores and product range.
Toshniwal brought a business-focused approach to the venture, while his brother Udit, the company's co-founder and creative director, contributed design expertise. The two identified an everyday frustration that many customers would recognise: trousers could be too tight, too loose or simply uncomfortable, even when the size appeared correct.
The Pant Project was their attempt to address that gap. According to the company's official website, the founders combined their textile experience with technology and a focus on Indian body types to develop better-fitting clothing.
The company began in 2020 as a digital-first brand selling custom-sized trousers. It later expanded into ready-to-wear clothing and adopted an omnichannel approach, combining online sales with physical stores.
Its range now extends beyond formal trousers to chinos, jeans, cargos, joggers and other styles, with options for both men and women. The company also highlights fabric performance, stretch, comfort and fit as key features of its products.
The idea is straightforward: make trousers that work for different body shapes without requiring customers to compromise on comfort or appearance.
In June 2024, The Pant Project raised $4.25 million (about ₹35 crore at the time) in its first institutional funding round, led by Sorin Investments. The company said the money would support retail expansion, technology, marketing and team growth.
The company has now secured ₹109 crore in a Series A funding round led by Mirae Asset Venture Investments, which was confirmed by Dhruv Toshniwal in a recent interview with CNBC-TV18, which reported the development on 19 October 2026.
Existing investor Sorin Investments also participated, alongside family offices and angel investors. The company has additionally secured venture debt from Alteria Capital.
The fresh capital will help The Pant Project expand from 25 exclusive stores to more than 150 over the next two to three years. It also plans to enter adjacent categories, including athleisure and casualwear, while investing in technology to connect its online and offline operations.
The funding marks a shift in the company's growth strategy. Having established itself online, The Pant Project is looking to reach customers through a much wider physical retail network.
For Toshniwal, the next challenge is to translate that expansion into sustained growth while retaining the product focus that shaped the business.
The company is entering a competitive premium menswear market, where established labels and newer direct-to-consumer brands are competing for customers.
Trisha Bhattacharya is a Senior Content Producer at Livemint, with over two years of experience covering entertainment news from India and beyond. She spends her days tracking what’s trending, breaking down pop culture moments, and turning fast-moving entertainment stories into sharp, engaging reads that actually make people want to click — and stay. <br> She holds a Master’s degree in English Literature from Lucknow University, a background that shapes her love for layered narratives, strong voices, and stories that linger long after they’re told. Before joining Livemint, Trisha worked with India Today as an entertainment journalist and film critic. There, she reviewed films, covered industry news, and built a strong foundation in storytelling and cultural analysis. <br> Trisha enjoys working at the intersection of media, culture, and audience interest, always looking for fresh angles and formats. Films, shows, and music are not just her beat but her biggest passion — something that naturally reflects in her writing. Whether it’s cinema, streaming shows, music, or internet trends, she approaches every story with curiosity and intent. <br> Outside the job description, she’s unapologetically passionate about films, shows, and music — sometimes a little too passionate, if you ask her. That enthusiasm often spills into her work, adding personality, urgency, and a touch of chaos that keeps her writing alive. For Trisha, entertainment isn’t just a beat — it’s a language she speaks fluently.
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