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Running a new fashion label is difficult but running a newborn sustainable fashion business is mighty tough as the supply chain can get really complicated. Still, there are brands out there that are acing the job of keeping things green for the people, planet, and profit. Let’s have a look at three of such sustainable clothing e-stores that let you shop guiltfree: Vanaras | Shop Now Vanaras is a 100% organic label that practices minimal design. They claim to use the purest organic cotton in 100% chemical free farms and needless to say their entire fabric line comes with a GOTS certification to support their claim. On top of it, they use AZO-free dyes. They avoid waste by producing headbands and scrunchies out of the scraps. They have a solar powered unit and waste treatment facility. They offer tops, bottoms, dresses, and outerwear in block colors and boy, do they look good! Hathkala | Shop Now Hathkala literally translates into the art of hand. Founded by Noopur Chaturvedi a year back, this little label is going places with its extraordinary collection of handloom suits and sarees. Check out their latest collection of dhoop chaon sarees here. Before this, they have launched drops of chanderi cotton and block printed khadi sarees. In suits, they have gone for maheshwari, chanderi, and mashru. Wrinkled Thrift | Shop Now Yes, we know, Instagram is full of thrift shops now but this one is just a month old and already making waves with quick bookings and a hungry audience. They sell pre-loved and thrifted fashion. Currently, they have a pink Bohoo halter top on a giveaway. The bonus? They make funny Bollywood memes and GIFs that tickle our bones quite a bit. Look out for their drop today, they have a really cool printed shirt on sale! Check out these new e-stores for the sake of sustainability and fashion! Tell us which one is your favourite. Till then, shop sustainable, stay home, and be safe.
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It’s getting more and more difficult to tell a genuine sustainable brand from a greenwasher. That’s why we have launched RSI, i.e., Redo Sustainability Index where we give a brand rating out of five based on five parameters of social and environmental issues facing industries with differentiated weightage. An overall score is given out of five, which is called RSI of the brand to assess a brand’s impact on people, animals and the planet. 4 brands that were suggested to us by our audience to be put under the RSI scanner have been discussed below. While they are on our radar for these reasons, they should be on your radar for shopping! Upasana Auroville | Shop Now As the name suggests, Upasana is located in the revolutionary township of Auroville in Pondicherry. They believe that the lives of farmers, spinners, weavers, printers, tailors, designers, and many more are intertwined with the clothes we wear and industry practices. Their mission is to create conscious fashion that takes responsibility for the environment. For the same reason, they have executed many programs like Kapas, Varanasi Weavers, Tsunamika, Paruthi, and Small Steps. Upasana offers clothes for both men and women ranging from simple jackets, bottoms, scarves, bags to dressy tops, kurtis, and dresses.    Indigene | Shop Now Indigene was started in 2011 with a passion for traditional textiles and handcrafted techniques. They make a statement on artisanal clothing through every piece of theirs. That’s what leads them to have a long yet ethical supply chain. Every clothing item goes through so many hands from different geographies that it weaves a beautiful story. Their latest collection is called ‘A Happy Place’ and it is full of solid coloured co-ords, bottoms, jackets, kurtas, etc.    Renge | Shop Now Renge clothing is made with a care for the environment and that’s why they source surplus fabric from textile mills to create designer clothing for women of all sizes. Their style is minimal and they offer everything from casual, party to cocktail dresses. Renge’s new fall collection is full of dreamy and feminine clothing. It’s so on point on trend and eco-chic.    Jodi | Shop Now Jodi puts out the most exciting printed tops, bottoms, and dresses for women and shirts for men. They work with 100% natural Indian textiles combined with the artisanal process of hand block printing. They believe that subtle variations as a result of the natural process is what makes each piece unique. So many pieces of theirs have been graced by celebrities like Mallika Dua and Sonam Kapoor. They should be on your radar for hot sustainable fashion.    So, which one of these unparalleled brands excites you the most? Let us know in the comments. Till then, shop sustainable, stay home, and be safe.
18/9/2020 0 Comments 5 Ways To Be More SustainableGoing sustainable is in vogue, and more people have opened up to the idea than ever before. However, in practice, often the case is that most people struggle to make the transition. Switching from a plastic bottle to a glass/steel one, carrying a cloth bag for groceries is the most they can do. And while these small things count, going beyond is something the majority doesn’t know how to. So, for the ones who want to but don’t know how to, here are 5 easy ways to embrace sustainability in your life.  1. Fast fashion is killing us. Do you realize how we often dump an almost new dress just because it’s gotten too much of a visibility on our social handles? Every time you step out, you need a new piece of clothing adorning your flesh. But at what cost?
Thrift shopping has evolved as a way to solve this problem. Give it a try. This way, you will give a piece of clothing its due in terms of the number of times it’s worn. Secondly, it’s cost-effective. You can find plenty of reliable stores online that are selling as-good-as-new clothes, with an added emphasis to go green with your choices. Buying from sustainable brands can be another alternative. These brands believe in the joys of slow fashion, and take a 360 degree approach to garment making. This usually results in prices slightly at the higher end. But the longevity and versatility makes it worth every penny. So, if you can curb the need to go for quantity over quality, trust us to save a lot in your pocket and help the planet too. If you are looking for something affordable then explore Filemont for women and March Tee for men. 2. Make some small changes in your house Change begins at home. Small modifications and replacements can go a long way. This can be as small as replacing those plastic containers in the kitchen or switching to clay/ceramic planters. Each spot at home can serve as a thinking point, and lead to a well thought decision next time you go spending on the home decor. Listing out a few, in terms of their placement in the house--Your toiletries as well as cleaning agents can be milder, more eco-friendly. Chemical free detergents! Yes that’s a thing. Consider, going back to soap bars instead of the water-laden, indulgent shower gels. From bathroom to kitchen, did you know about coir dish scrubs? Well, now you know. Switch to this age old greener alternative (and replace those plastic garbage bags too). There’s a lot that can make your living room, balcony and other spaces a hub of sustainability. Keep exploring. 3. Get a compost pit And while you make greener choices inside, consider placing a compost pit for your house/locality outside. This can be an excellent idea for decomposing the organic waste of the household. Basically, the composting process begins when you gather organic waste in a big eco-friendly bin, ideally in a flat, well-drained, and sunny location where the pile can remain warm and moist. This bin is what we call a compost pit. Though easy but truly under-rated sustainable activity, it can help you serve your planet in multifold ways. 4. Create your own zero waste kit for stepping out of the house Another, simple yet impactful way to practice sustainability on the go is by creating your own zero waste kit. This should contain essentials that would go handy during your travels irrespective of where you go and how pro-nature the stay is/isn’t. This will help you to self-sustain without breaking the promise of living sustainably. What would this kit include? A toothbrush, essential cutlery, a tumbler and a few more useful items in a cloth tote. For starters, take a cue from here. 5. Know some sustainable brands If you are willing to make a difference, there’s no dearth of available resources. From clothing to food to travel, with a little thought and exploration, all your choices can be turned from indulgence to sustainable. Your guiding principle would be to ask yourself a few simple questions, before getting to action--Am I giving in to a desire or is this a need? Is my choice aligned to preservation of nature and its resources? Is there a greener alternative? Is my action leading to any quantifiable waste? If so, can I recycle, reuse, repurpose?—And, as you begin finding answers to these questions, you’ll start finding better alternatives. You may be limited to your knowledge of sustainable ways now, but not for too long. Till then, here’s another useful gift for you,check out these zero waste stores in India for inspiration. 16/9/2020 0 Comments What’s on the Lips?One can never have too many lip balms. But the truth is that lip balms are known to be notoriously packed in plastic, be them in the form of a tub or a chapstick. Today, we are covering a few lip balms that not only come in non-plastic packaging but are also made with all things natural. The Coconut People’s Coconut Mint Lip Balm | Buy Now Shea butter, mint oil, soya oil, beeswax and organic virgin coconut oil make up this all good, no nasties lip balm. This lip balm is like a peck from mother nature as nothing heals better than nature itself. It is packed in an aluminium tin instead of plastic. And,that’s what we love about this one!  Satliva’s Ylang Lip Balm | Buy Now Ever heard of a lip balm made of hemp? Well, this one is. Enriched with the goodness of hemp seed oil, cocoa butter, coconut oil, beeswax, ylang ylang oil and lime oil, this lip balm oozes with all things good. Moreover, it is cold pressed and freshly made on placing the order!  Both the lip balms are amazing, we say. You go for the one that addresses your skin concerns better. Till then, shop sustainable, stay home, and be safe.
13/9/2020 0 Comments Yoga wear and gearYoga is a truly sustainable practice involving the balance of mind and body. So it makes all the more sense if our yoga clothes too are aligned in that sustainable balance. Unfortunately, most of those yoga pants and leggings you buy from brands like Nike, Puma, and Adidas are full of polyester and elastane (which is a petroleum based product used to create stretch). But there’s an alternative to these. Let’s have a look at four of the homegrown Indian sustainable brands we know of that provide a better alternative: Proyog’s Dhoti Pants | Shop Now Proyog believes that if yoga has come out of India, then the onus of creating good yoga wear too lies on India too. They make clothes for both men and women. Our favourite from the lot is yoga Dhoti Pants made from cotton and bamboo fabric. They are unisex, come in olive colour, and are inspired by Jodhpuri pants.  Satva | Shop Now Through their partnership with Suminter India Organics, Satva has been able to create a low impact supply chain for sourcing fabrics. We love their bralettes section as it is a quite underserved category in sustainable yoga wear. They also have jackets and sweatshirts to keep you cozy in chilly studios.  Stretchery | Shop Now Right when you open their website, you find bamboo masks. It’s lettered with really cool inhale-exhale alphabets in a jumbled format. What we adore the most are their tops are made from GOTS certified organic cotton. We love the long sleeve Freedom Cover Up Top. It’s lilac in colour and oh-so soft. You have to try it!  Deivee | Shop Now
Deivee is a brand by Milind Soman and it has a huge product range. They have everything from yoga mats, copper bottles, bamboo straws to headbands, socks, yoga mat bags etc. Their products are made from organic cotton, banana fibre, wild grass, natural copper, recycled polyester and the likes. Give it a try if you want to experience sustainability in active gear. Which brand’s collection do you like the most? We would love to know in the comments below. Till then, shop sustainable, stay home, and be safe. 12/9/2020 0 Comments Live the Soapy LifeThey are beautiful, colourful, and dreamy. We are talking about natural soap bars that are slowly gaining momentum over shower gels. Let’s have a look at the benefits of soap bars: 1. The first and one of the most important is that you are supporting a small business when buying natural soap from them. 2. Another benefit is that you are not paying for water. The main ingredient of a liquid soap is water. But a soap bar is full of, well, soap! A properly cured soap has very little water left in it. So you buy what you pay for, which is soap. 3. It lasts a long time. About 4-6 weeks!  Mud and Moon Soaps 4. You are left behind with no empty bottles. Just paper which can biodegrade under the right circumstances. 5. There are no preservatives in natural soap bars unlike liquid soaps. This makes them safe for aquatic life.  Vaanya Soap Co. 6. Small batch crafted soap has naturally occurring glycerin, which is good for the human skin. The taboo attached to soaps that they are drying came from commercial soaps as they are stripped off of any natural glycerin. So your skin can feel the difference! 7. Quality handcrafted soap bars are made with shea butter, olive oil, and other plant based essential oils. Whereas, liquid soaps and commercial soaps are basically detergents and foam so much because of surfactants.  Saej Body You can buy small batch natural handcrafted soaps in India from Mud and Moon, Vaanya Soap Co, and Saej Body. Shop sustainable, stay home, and be safe.
10/9/2020 0 Comments Lost Treasure of Body OilsBody oils are kind of lost from our modern day living. At most, we remember them occasionally to rub on our heads but body oils seem to be missing in action. Today, we talk about two amazing oils that provide relief to different areas of the body. Let’s dive right in: Brillare Ultimate Soothing Oil | Buy Now Brillare is a 100% vegan, PETA certified Indian company. Right now, we are digging their Ultimate Soothing Oil that contains cannabis, nature’s most powerful oil to relieve skin inflammation. It also has Ceramide, which restores skin’s natural suppleness and flexibility. Next two ingredients are black currant, which repairs tissues and rosemary that calms hot, itchy skin, and reduces swelling. Overall, the oil helps to soothe dermatitis, eczema, and other skin sensitivities. Price- Rs. 1,495  Pahadi Local Gutti Ka Tel | Buy Now Pahad Local is a homegrown brand with a limited range of products. But this range limited in quantity, packs a punch in quality. Extracted in the upper region of Himachal, apricot kernel oil is something that Pahadi Local has made famous again. A forgotten gem was brought back to the limelight with Pahadi Local’s efforts and highlights from the likes of Vogue Beauty Awards 2019 and Harper’s Bazaar Best of Beauty. The benefits of this oil are such that it is often categorised as a beauty product. It claims to reduce cellulite, stretch marks, joint pain, and skin allergies. It works as a face oil and body moisturiser too! Price- Rs. 1,850  Both the oils have many uses and are available at a similar price point. Which one are you leaning towards? Either way, shop sustainable, stay home, and be safe.
4/9/2020 0 Comments Zero Waste Stores in IndiaYesterday we published a video suggesting that going to super markets for monthly groceries is what’s out. And what’s in is visiting zero waste stores or bulk shops to prevent the use of plastic. Today, we introduce you to some of the best zero waste stores in India, which are leading the way of the zero waste movement in our country. Let’s get cracking: Adrish Zero Waste, In Pune, Delhi & Mumbai | Visit Now Meet India’s first zero waste store Adrish. Started in Pune, Maharashtra Adrish is co-founded by Gajendra Chowdhary and Akshay Agarwal. It focuses on quality organic produce and state of the art furniture which facilitates a comfortable zero-waste experience. You will find all things important for an Indian household there plus, different kinds of millets, soaps, shampoos, berries, sauces, masalas, etc. We will let the pictures do the talking. Ecoposro, In Goa | Visit Now Ecoposro, co-founded by Eldrige and Jonah, means an eco-friendly small little shop in Konkani. Not only do they encourage consumers to get their own bags and jars but they themselves do not participate in plastic production. They do so by procuring from only local vendors in gunny bags and jute sacks, which they reuse on a regular basis. Apart from the basics, they also have a section of eco-friendly detergents, shampoos, toothbrushes, etc.  Ecoindian, In Chennai | Visit Now Launched in 2019, Ecoindian retails at their store in Chennai and online. They offer natural and organic food as well as lifestyle products. They have ditched mass producing brands for local suppliers, organic farmers, self help groups, and artisans. Consumers get to know about the origin of their products as the supplier is mentioned on the containers.  Green Mantra, In Bangalore | Visit Now Green Mantra is laser focused on making Bengaluru a more sustainable city. The Green Mantra motto is to “make the earth a safe, healthier and better place to live.” Not only their awareness programs but their products themselves are a messenger of change when it comes to plastic use and natural products. Located in Marathahalli, you must visit them for their wide range of products.  Zero Waste Eco Store, In Telangana | Visit Now This store tucked away in Secunderabad, has over 150 items ranging from rice to snacks. There’s not even a single store in Telangana like them that stores all of their products in glass and metal containers. Their cloth bags and the pickles in the store are homemade by women!  We really hope you found a store in your vicinity and are excited about shopping from there. For those of you who did, shopping sustainably is really possible for you now. So, what are you waiting for? Send us pictures from inside the store!
3/9/2020 0 Comments Let’s Put It On The TableThe lockdown is easing so to speak but its end is nowhere in sight. Many of us are working from home and it is a luxury given how dangerous it is outside and that some people have to be present at their offices physically. It is important that you don't take yourselves for granted and take care of yourselves even while working from home by creating an office-like environment conducive to productivity. If you don’t have a proper sitting table at home yet, then it is time to get one now. We have curated two such amazing sustainable tables at drastically different price points for you: Paper Shaper Sit Down Desk | Buy Now This table is incredibly strong and surprisingly beautiful and it’s made of paper! Okay not paper exactly but it is really made of cardboard. It’s 20" x 28" with a height of 36". You have got to see it to believe it. Price- Rs. 2,950  Mianzi’s Deer Table | Buy Now Named after an actual deer, this sleek table is a piece of furniture worth having in your homes. The table is made of bamboo and is a beautiful amalgamation of sustainability and great design. It’s 90cm x 60cm with a height of 75cm. We will let its pictures do the talking. Price- Rs. 26,990  Your laptop, phone, and other gadgets, it’s time to put them on the table! Shop sustainable, stay home, and be safe.
How long does your t-shirt from Sarojini Nagar or Colaba Causeway last? You buy it for Rs. 200-400 and it lasts you for how long? 2-4 months? How about you buy 1 quality t-shirt for the price of your bimonthly hauls? It will last you for a few years or even a decade. One such company that’s changing the face of t-shirts in India is March Tee. Forget about those see-through, over-stretched, and faded t-shirts that can’t even stand the test of a few washes. Move over to something new that is soft, supple, aptly stretchy (without the use of elastane), and most of all, fits perfectly! Let’s look at what is so different about a March Tee t-shirt that we have experienced first hand:  1. It is made from supima cotton that is grown in specific regions of the US as of now. It is 2 times stronger and 4 times softer than regular cotton. Its yarn is extremely breathable and resistant to breaking. It’s mercerised so that no surface lint is left behind.  2. Perfect fit is the number one concern for March Tee. The dense knit lends a fluid drape. The tee is kept classic with a crew cut. Every millimetre that has been saved or shaved is intentional and not a coincidence. Moreover, every size is designed individually for a slightly customised fit. Smaller ones fit more snug and bigger ones are more relaxed. 3. The t-shirts come with an invisible stitch. They are as strong as possible and yet invisible. Isn’t that like magic?  4. There are no designs, no prints, no logos on the t-shirt. Usually, it is difficult to call a logo t-shirt your own as the brand name shouts real loud.
We are sure you’d sure be wanting to have a look at the March Tee t-shirt by now. So here’s the link to their website. Go check out their product range. Price Range: Rs. 990-1,800 We do have a few questions about where exactly in the US their supima cotton is grown, how, and by whom. It would be awesome if the brand gets back on these questions and we can update this article! And you, dear reader, we know you are getting your hands on a March Tee sooner or later. Shop sustainable, stay home, and be safe. |
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