Fashion / Earth Day 2021: Cool South Asian Upcycled Fashion Pieces That You Need In Your Life

Earth Day 2021: Cool South Asian Upcycled Fashion Pieces That You Need In Your Life

Fashion Apr 23, 2021

by Mrinalini Sundar

In our part 2 of our Earth Day special let us support South Asian brands that offer sustainable, eco-friendly products with these amazing upcycled pieces!

*Have you seen our Earth Day list of sustainable beauty products that you need? Click here! *

If there is one thing the pandemic has taught the world — it is how fragile our nature is and how we have been ruthlessly for several years exploiting it. One of the main contributors to this is the fashion industry — courtesy of the increasing levels of greenhouse gas emissions. But designs and brands across the globe have quickly taken to the sustainable route. For example, From brands such as Reformation, Youth to the People, Girlfriend Collective, Rahua, there are several brands that are leading the way forward. We also have luxury fashion designers such as Stella McCartney, Rag & Bone, and Mara Hoffman who joined the movement. As part of this year’s Earth Day celebration, we look at six cool sustainable South Asian fashion pieces that need a special place in your closet.

1.Ka-Sha

**Earth Day 2021: Cool South Asian Upcycled Fashion Pieces That You Need In Your Life: (L-R): Ka-Sha’s patchwork sleeveless shift dress and the oversized bow tied backpack.** Photo Credit: www.instagram.com

Ka-Sha from India celebrates craft while reinterpreting artisanal techniques in ways, new and old. Their product line includes bags, footwear, home decor products, and clothes. Their website mentions that they engage craftsmanship from across India through their explorations. All their products combine quality and contemporary craft. One of their brand extensions is Heart To Haat — which is based on three simple philosophies — reuse, repurpose and reclaim. As part of this brand, our two favourite products are the oversized & bow-tied backpack and their patchwork sleeveless shift dress.

2. PR Sri Lanka

Earth Day 2021: 9 Cool South Asian Upcycled Fashion Pieces That You Need In Your Life — **Earth Day 2021: Cool South Asian Upcycled Fashion Pieces That You Need In Your Life: (L-R): Rice and Carry’s cool clutch and Alke’s recycled earrings.** Photo Credit: www.instagram.com

This brand launched by the owner, curator, and designer, Annika Fernando comprises clothing, jewellery, accessories, natural bath products, gift, and small homeware items that are beautiful in design and sustainability. PR Sri Lanka‘s sister brand Alke produces sustainable, structural organic handmade earrings and necklaces which make both a design statement and testament to sustainable design with clever recycling of PET bottles. We are also in love with their range of bags designed by PR and manufactured by the incredible team at Rice & Carry, a fair trade social enterprise on Sri Lanka’s East Coast. All bags are lined in fair trade certified fabric, buttons, and buckles are made of recycled plastic and each bag comes in a cotton dust bag.

3. House of Wandering Silk

House of Wandering Silk is out of Delhi, and has a singular and most powerful purpose – “to provide fairly-paid, dignified and sustainable livelihood opportunities to marginalized women, with the objective of empowering them to achieve economic independence and create better lives for themselves, their families, and their communities.” We think this kantha beaded necklace is a wardrobe must-have. Handcrafted from upcycled silk saris, these one-of-a-kinds, lightweight necklaces feature strings of beads in the front and beautiful kantha-embroidered silk sides.

4. Rias

Rias is a Jaipur-based brand that aims to preserve brands that create khadi, which is a hand-spun, hand-woven cloth that played an important role in Indian independence — block-printing by hand. They take “two ancient crafts of India — dabu/bagru & hand block printing onto handwoven fabrics — which essentially is a cocktail of ancient printing & weaving techniques of Rajasthan & West Bengal.” A must-have from this brand is the indigo denim jogger which is handspun and handwoven and is made of indigenous cotton.

5. Jodi

Started by Gauri Verma and Karuna Laungani, the one-point goal for the founders was to give a new lease of life to local craft techniques. Jodi works with 100% natural Indian textiles and combines this with the artisanal process of hand-block printing. From Jodi, we are totally in love with this pretty mini dress which is flirty and super chic. It is adorned with hand-block printed blooms in shades of pink. Also know a little about the material that has gone into each piece — for example — this dress was hand block printed at Jaipur, hand-crafted, and manufactured in Jodi’s workshop at Pune.

6. Bohame

Love all-things-bohemian just like us? Then check out this Delhi-based brand that designs some magnificent apparel that is all handmade and sustainable. Bohame has both men’s and women’s Indo/western clothing for all occasions. Founder and designer, Vijesh Singhal, makes sure that his brand’s garments are all handwoven and made from natural fibers such as organic cotton, linen, or Khadi. This beautiful green frilly dress makes for the perfect summer dress. Don’t you think?

7. Ethicus

Earth Day 2021: Cool South Asian Upcycled Fashion Pieces That You Need In Your Life: The Chikankari collection by Ethicus. Photo Credit: www.instagram.com — **Earth Day 2021: Cool South Asian Upcycled Fashion Pieces That You Need In Your Life: The Chikankari collection by Ethicus.** Photo Credit: www.instagram.com

A small brand making a huge impact is Ethicus, based out of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The brand grows its own cotton in Pollachi, Tamil Nadu. The cotton used in their products has a special texture which makes their sarees easy to drape and flow. They have different kinds of sarees — from chikankari, Gond, Ajrakh, bandhani, kalamkari — while we love them all. Our favourite is the chikankari collection which blends the fine eco-logic cotton sarees handwoven by their masterweavers in Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, and enhanced by skilled hand embroidery techniques by women artisans from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Main Image Photo Credit: www.instagram.com

Mrinalini Sundar

Author

Mrinalini Sundar (new_girl_in_to) has worked with various Indian national, international publications including Times Of India and is currently based out of Toronto. She's constantly in search of high adventure, exotic food, and new experiences. She is the happiest amidst mountains, with no wi-fi.

COMMENTS

From 'Behind Her Eyes' To Bollywood: Karisma Kapoor, Alia Bhatt & More — Check Out These Stars' Major Monochromatic Style Moments

Freshen Up Your Modest Style With These Key Spring Looks!

Our Fave 5 Looks From FDCI x Lakmé Fashion Week 2021

Our Fave 5 Looks From Sri Lanka's HSBC Colombo Fashion Week Summer 2021

Kiara Advani, Priyanka Chopra Jonas & Other Bollywood Stars Sporting Stylish Spring Looks

Earth Day 2021: Cool South Asian Upcycled Fashion Pieces That You Need In Your Life

by Mrinalini Sundar

Mrinalini Sundar

COMMENTS

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE