Your guide to eco-conscious style

A. SHRIKUMAR talks to ‘green fashionistas’ who are attempting to make the industry sensible and sustainable

May 20, 2016 04:43 pm | Updated September 12, 2016 07:28 pm IST - Chennai

Its the seaon of organically-grown natural fibres

Its the seaon of organically-grown natural fibres

Cut down on polyesters, limit the load on your shopping cart and slow down with that unending wish list. It’s time to scan your wardrobe, fish out that long-forgotten pair of faded jeans and upcycle it into a trendy denim jacket. This is what most ‘conscious stylistas’ are doing the world over. Ethical designers and sensitive fashion lovers are creating a silent revolution of sustainability in the world of fashion.

And the results are just amazing and fun! Sample this — A Carmen coat in jacquard made with recycled metal fibre, a printed fluid dress made of organic silk, an embroidered tunic embellished with recycled glass beads and a pair of Deco-inspired earrings made of denimite! Not just that, but a lot more that oozes nonchalant sophistication is part of H&M’s exclusive sustainable line ‘H&M Conscious’. The collection is contemporary and artistic, soulful, progressive and conscious, using organic silk, hemp, recycled linen and innovative materials such as beads and rhinestones made from recycled glass and denimite — a material made out of recycled, worn-out denim.

Organically-grown natural fibres, recycled fabrics and upcycled clothes are making inroads into the style book of designers and buyers; the plus point is they are increasingly being seen under the cool category of fashion. In India, we have a couple of designers working consciously towards reducing the carbon footprint of the fashion industry.

“There’s a general notion that recycled and upcycled fabrics are not glamorous. But these days, more people are finding it cool. It makes a statement,” says Aneeth Arora, who has been designing an exclusive line of sustainable clothes under her label Pero. “The whole idea of adding new things to old clothes is in sync with ‘slow fashion’, another major trend. It makes sure that people don’t buy too much clothing, reduces consumerism, and in turn paves way for the fashion industry to not produce so much. It leads to less waste, not just in terms of fabrics, but also garments that people discard and don’t want to wear.”

Aneeth started upcycling clothes with one of her own jackets, which she was unable to discard. “I loved it so much that I kept adding things to it. There are pieces which you hold on to for long and it’s worth it,” she says. “I go out of the way to add value to upcycled garments, so that it’s viewed as something more special than a newly-bought dress. Either, I do a kantha stitch on top of the fused fabrics or quilt it or even print on top of it. Pero is known for special detailing and little surprises like a small heart embroidered in the corner on the inside or an ornamental button.”

Kriti Tula, who designs quirky recycled outfits under the label Doodlage, says, “Sitting with piles of fabric waste, is like putting together a puzzle. As the puzzle starts to take shape, stories start emerging. It is a fun and challenging process that you can never get bored of.” Doodlage is committed to sustainable and eco fashion and the raw material is nothing but ‘industrial and post-production waste’. “We work with various surface textures and treatments like our signature patchwork, knitting back strips of fabrics from post-production, Shibori and printing on patched fabric. We have adopted a zero-waste policy, thus maximising the utility of the material.”

For ace designer Ritu Kumar, the idea of sustainable fashion is also about supporting local arts and crafts. “Sustainable fashion is not merely a passing fad but a way of working ethos that many top brands are adopting. The Indian fashion industry, today, supports over 50 million textile craftsmen, unlike any of the European countries,” says Ritu Kumar. “I also use eco-friendly fabrics, ahimsa silk and vegetable dyes in my collections. However, the sustainability angle is much bigger. It encompasses a holistic approach.”

Organic fabric is another major part of sustainability that many designers are taking to. “Organic is the new cool statement for the future. Being organic is a conscious choice that young people are making. When you adopt organic clothing, it makes you stand out and adds a tinge of responsibility to your sense of style,” says Uma Prajapati, the designer of Paruthi, an organic cotton brand, based in Puducherry. “Our cotton is organically grown by small-time farmers in the dry regions of Tamil Nadu, and we are a young, actively-organic community.”

“Organic fabrics are a good step towards making fashion more ethical. But, what we have now is really not organic. The cotton may be grown organically, but if you are stitching it with a nylon thread or wrapping it in a plastic bag, then it loses the very point,” says Aneeth Arora.

“My idea of organic clothing is holistic and purist. We use natural and pure fabrics, no blends of polyester or synthetic. But organic is a tall claim. An entirely organic product is something that follows sustainability right from the fibre stage to the time it’s sold.”

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.