Most of us would have at least one outfit in our wardrobe that we don’t use. It could have made a hurried purchase or a gift and the issue could vary from incorrect fit to colour or silhouette that doesn’t appeal to us.
Entrepreneur Puja Sahney, associated with Navika Garments, wants women to retrieve these outfits, unused or used sparingly, so that it could go to women from underprivileged sections who aspire to wear such clothes but cannot afford them.
Through an initiative called ‘Realize, Replace, Refresh’, Puja wants to facilitate these garments reaching deserving women. This isn’t a drive to dispose old, worn out or stained clothes. Give away garments that are as good as new. What one gets in return is a discount of up to 40% on apparels from Navika.
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This garment drive is the first of the many initiatives that will roll out as part of ‘Realize, Replace, Refresh’ campaign. In the longer run, Puja hopes it will all contribute to sustainability. “We end up purchasing more than we use, thanks to frequent offline and online purchases. We don’t think of how all this contributes to non-biodegradable waste when synthetic fabrics are used. One way of minimising this is by giving the garments to others who can use it,” she says.
In the last few weeks as festive shopping touched a crescendo, on social media, topics such as ‘toxic consumerism’ or ‘mindless purchase patterns’ were also being discussed. This isn’t a snooty dismissal of festive shopping, but a reminder of how we end up with things we don’t need when we give in to frequent, impulsive shopping. Puja calls this ‘throwaway fashion’ and hopes the 3R initiative will help move at least a few people from a state of ‘fashion conscious’ to ‘conscious fashion’.
How does this work?
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For instance, if you are giving away H&M jeans worth ₹2000, it will be resold to an underprivileged woman at ₹100 or ₹150 that meets the administrative cost of re-sizing the garment to fit the buyer. What do you get for giving away the pair of jeans? A discount on a new Navika apparel. “We will assess each garment to ascertain that it’s in good, usable condition and the applicable discount will be decided,” says Puja.
What can you give away?
Readymade apparel, western or ethnic adult clothing. T-shirts, tops, jeans, trousers, formal Indian work wear like kurtas and salwar sets in cotton, silk and cotton silks. No synthetics accepted.
When?
Hyderabad: October 31 to November 5; at Navika, Chikoti Gardens, Begumpet.
Bengaluru: November 7 and 8, at Raintree Lifestyle Store, Sankey Road, opp ITC Windsor Manor.
For details, call 9177309777.