Five Indie Sustainable Brands That Are Ethically Trying To Do Right By The Environment
Sustainability is a way of life and with each passing day we must all reduce our carbon footprints while not exceeding what is so broadly referred to as our ‘planetary limits’. It is a matter of pride that many indie brands around us have pledged to be ‘sustainable’ and ‘vegan’. However, the problem lies in the fact that it is rarely clear whether this is just another brand that greenwashes their customers or is genuine for that matter.
If you’re a consumer who’s fed up with ads that are nothing more than greenwashing tactics, you’re not alone. So, what’s important at this juncture is to educate yourself and stand with brands that are trying to do the right thing by the environment and are taking big steps towards a greener and brighter future.
While there has been a lot of work around sustainable fashion brands, not as much has been said about brands that are trying to create a space for conscious living by creating sustainable products that complement everyday items like bags. Can vary from to hair conditioner. Even down to a carpet.
NW18 sought to reach out to five indie brands that focus on organic, recycled and regenerated sustainable products that are not only intelligent in nature but can be used on a daily basis and lead a sustainable lifestyle. Can take you closer to your goal of spending.
Willow
Kruthika Kumaran, co-founder of Valvah, describes her journey towards sustainability as “a realization after years of overusing many of the planet’s resources that we often don’t need.” The factor that sets Vilvah apart from other brands that also claim to be sustainable according to the founding members is their aluminum and glass packaging which can be recycled multiple times. “We have taken several steps to be sustainable, our brand uses reusable paper for invoices,” adds Kruthika.
Valva uses fresh goat’s milk for its special goat’s milk shampoo and its farm-handmade goat’s milk soap. have always been a part of our lives and hence goat milk is very precious to us and hence our signature product.
The founders of the brand do not believe in the fact that everyone can choose a 100% sustainable lifestyle but, however small, it is advisable to take this step for the betterment of the planet and future generations.
Burlap people
Although The Burlap People only came into being in 2015, Samradh Burman and Karuna Parekh’s journey to incorporate a more sustainable lifestyle began much earlier. “Karuna grew up on a farm and was exposed to a certain lifestyle and always had access to fresh produce and understood how things are grown,” says Samradh Burman, co-founder of the brand. added, “For me, it all started because my family has been involved in the jute business since independence and my grandfather was one of the first people to do block printing on jet and make bags out of it and my father When he joined. The business was the first to start overseeing jute bags and I became part of the third generation from the business and was fortunate enough to grow around this sustainable material, jute.
The brand mainly works with burlap, which is a word that is interchangeable with any heavy duty fabric made from natural fibers starting from cotton, jute, metal etc. The brand owners are constantly looking for alternatives to animal leather and Samardh confirmed that some vegetable-based leathers like coconut leather are available and are currently working on a wax canvas that combines with animal leather. Resonant aesthetically.
The brand, which started entirely on Instagram and used it to build a community, makes great bags with materials that can either be composted, upcycled or recycled as needed. When choosing a bag, customers are given the option to choose the material of their choice and can completely customize their bag in the way they like and are exactly as they want. The result of this whole process is that the creative energy of the buyer is invested, which often leads to a better relationship with the product they are buying.
Talking about why people need to lead a more sustainable lifestyle, Samardh expressed, “The effects of climate change are increasing rapidly and we are on the verge of total destruction from an ecological point of view and our ecosystem. is collapsing and time is running out, so we must act now, we must be optimistic and we need to re-evaluate our choices and the impact we have on the environment and our communities. should be thought of because they are all interconnected.
Elm
The brand’s products range from shoes to egg containers, all of which have been showcased at Dutch Design Week 2022, London Design Festival 2019 and various other incredible festivals around the world. The brand’s founder, Madushi Kochhar, is an Indian industrial designer whose practice as a designer revolves around researching materials, techniques and methods that can help recreate symbolic relationships and enhance the circular economy process in one’s life. .
Madushi believes that pursuing a sustainable lifestyle also makes a lot of sense from a business perspective as “virgin materials are expensive and difficult to procure if waste is looked around, it is cheap and available in abundance. So, economically But it is also important to first use what is locally wasted around us, starting with identifying valuable ‘waste’ and using the waste to its maximum, rather than mining for new resources. It has to be used up to higher capacities.
A collection of vegan footwear that was launched earlier. India And overseas as part of a collection called “Hejje” which means move forward in Kannada and made of natural fibers is in high demand. But, their egg wares are completely unique and made to order in small batches of 20-50 pieces.
Overall the brand strives to find the right balance between the conflicting ideals of achieving beautiful aesthetics, productivity, ease of use and environmental impact. Not only in India but also in the Netherlands, Madushi is trying to achieve such things by tackling these oppositions with her brand Makers On The Move.
Sweet root
Farah’s brand SweatRot, launched in 2013, addresses the dilemma of wanting to hold on to worn-out clothes that the heart doesn’t want to let go of. The brand recycles old fabrics to create quilts and beautiful quilts, a way to help people preserve memories that are too dear to look away from.
The audience response she got for her memory quilt was phenomenal, says Farah, “We have clients from all over the world. Many of us have faced great hardships due to Covid, and we Some have lost loved ones forever—customers often ask us to make quilts from their lost loved ones’ clothing.”
Talking about memorial quilts, the founder of the brand highlighted how these quilts acknowledge the lives of those who have left as well as provide comfort and a physical medium for those who have passed away. There are those left behind so they can reconnect. Farah added, “Seeing a particular piece of a shirt in a quilt can bring back vivid memories of a shared experience with a special person. Our real-time connection with someone we love is caused by death and loss. Discontinues, but commemorative quilts recreate the path in a beautiful, tactile and enduring way.”
Su Khum
Komal Bhargava’s sustainable furniture brand uses jute to create stunning home decor items such as stools, poufs, cushions and rugs. Most of their furniture is designed keeping in mind the needs and aesthetics of a modern home and is therefore highly organized, practical and suitable for the Indian climate.
The furniture that the brand produces is not only quirky but extremely durable in nature and hence appeals to a modern audience who are looking to become more conscious of the times. His jute furniture is getting a great response and Komal is particularly encouraged to see that more and more people are starting to think like him and opting for clean green things.
Komal grew up watching her mother as an architect opt for green practices and believes, “If we don’t shift to a more sustainable lifestyle now, we’re going to end up doing it anyway.” No matter how momentary in nature it is, it will be too late. We as consumers should be more aware, it is us who encourage materials like polyester and it should be stopped immediately. We just Let’s make smarter and more informed decisions!
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