About 50–100 litres of water is necessary to handle a kilogram of textiles.
Source: Down To Earth
Let that figure sink in!
What might also surprise you is that the textile industry is amongst the major polluters globally. Several lakes and rivers have faced its impact, and their water is polluted beyond recognition.
So, can you do something about it?
Can all of us together do something to change this and make our world a bit better?
The answer is YES.
We can do something about it!
Don’t worry. One doesn’t need to stop buying clothes and start wearing leaves. There is a more impactful, meaningful, and possible thing you and all of humanity can do.
Switch to eco-friendly clothing.
Eco-friendly clothing is a ray of hope, showing that fashion can be non-polluting. Several brands are walking the extra mile to make eco-friendly clothing possible.
Here, we have curated a list of 5 eco-friendly clothing brands in India. Do check them out and let us know which one you liked the most.
1. Anita Dongre
When you are truly passionate about something, and your intentions are noble and pro-society, the universe comes together to help you succeed. This is true for Ms. Anita Dongre, whose name the brand bears.
After completing her degree in fashion design, she founded the House of Anita Dongre in 1995. Back then, being eco-friendly was not much of a deal, and very few consumers cared about it. Still, the brand went ahead to create a business that's driven by social responsibility and continuously works to uplift the marginalised.
What makes Anita Dongre an eco-friendly clothing brand?
- They use sustainable fabrics like Bemberg™ and TENCEL™.
- It is also a member of The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), a not-for-profit organisation promoting global cotton sustainability.
- They do not use fur and leather in their products.
- Less carbon, more care for Earth, via their design headquarters in Navi Mumbai:
- They harness natural sunlight to lower energy consumption.
- 67% of wastewater is recycled and used for irrigation and toilet flushing.
- 100% of their e-waste is disposed of in an environmentally friendly way.
The list of other initiatives they took to improve our Earth is even longer. It’s apt to say that Anita Dongre is setting the proper benchmark for all brands to follow and become eco-friendly in all ways possible.
Editor’s top pick:
For Her
Made with sustainable fabric, this top is a beautiful combination of intricate design and a modern look.
Shop this top @ AnitaDongre.com
For Him
Made with silk and adorned with botanical prints, this pocket square is pure elegance. Not to mention, it will make heads turn in awe!
Shop this pocket square @ AnitaDongre.com
2. Earthy Route
Want a greener Earth?
Plant trees.
Want people to opt for eco-friendly clothing?
Own this responsibility, make it your mission, create a brand, and you’ll get more support than you imagined.
This is the story of Earthy Route, an eco-friendly clothing brand founded by Gauri and Varun.
Initially, the brand focused on educating users via blog. Later they pivoted to being eco-friendly clothing; we must admit, this pivot was much needed and appreciable.
What makes Earthy Route an eco-friendly clothing brand?
- They use sustainable fabrics like Lyocell and Linen. They use much less water, are biodegradable, and are great for the Indian climate.
- Zero waste packaging - They use FSC-certified paper envelopes and further reduce their carbon footprint.
- Repurposing textile waste - Textile waste is used to make carry bags, hair tyes, laptop sleeves, etc. This is innovative, generates employment, and is excellent for our planet!
Editor’s top pick:
For Her
A combination of minimalism and beauty. This top is made with sustainable fabric and is bound to occupy a place of pride in your wardrobe.
Shop this top @ EarthyRoute.com
For Him
Q. What do you get when you bring style, comfort, and sustainability together?
A. This beautiful shirt 😍
Shop this shirt @ EarthyRoute.com
3. Ethicus
In Latin, there’s a word ‘ēthicus’ whose modern-day translation is ‘ethicist, someone studying ethics’.
True to its name, the brand Ethicus has imbibed and follows fair business practices. It is relentlessly doing good for its farmers, its employees, the society around it, our planet, and ultimately the consumers like you and us.
Founded by Vijayalakshmi Nachiar and Mani Chinnaswamy in 2009, this brand is ‘Farm to Fashion Organic & Sustainable Fashion Brand’. The brand advocates for buying mindfully, choosing well, and using the product sufficiently.
The founders also run a holistic school called Nachiar Vidyalayam, providing education to 850 rural children. This is a commendable initiative, and we at Matter5 hope more brands take up the cause of promoting education in rural areas.
What makes Ethicus an eco-friendly clothing brand?
- They use cotton grown organically that is free from harsh chemicals and pesticides.
- Focus on doing things the traditional way - They handpick cotton and manually grade them. This ensures superior quality, makes the entire process more eco-friendly and generates employment in rural areas.
Editor’s top pick:
For Her
Beautiful shade of blue and a perfect fusion of geometry and intricate floral Indian design. This is an excellent piece of eco-friendly clothing for all saree lovers.
Shop this saree @ Ethicus.in
4. No Nasties
Q. What’s better than being carbon positive?
A. Being 3X carbon positive!
It may sound impossible, but this brand has made it possible and achieved several milestones along the way.
Based out of Goa, No Nasties sells planet-positive fashion online and at its flagship Goa outlet.
A lean team, they put the planet at the centre of everything they do. With businesses like these, we are headed in the right direction. A lot needs to be done, and you, as a shopper, can encourage more brands to go eco-friendly by choosing eco-friendly clothes over non-eco-friendly ones.
What makes No Nasties an eco-friendly clothing brand?
- They use 100% organic cotton to make planet-positive clothing. Organic cotton is sourced from small-scale farmers who grow it without using GMO seeds or toxic pesticides.
- They plant 3 trees for every product bought.
- Their planet-first approach has yielded some pretty impressive results:
- 3,03,10,358 (30+ mn or 3+ cr) of water saved
- 1,66,518 kg of carbon offset
- 73,849 trees planted (this is kind of a mini-forest, pretty impressive, isn’t it?)
- Eco-friendly packaging - They use reusable and returnable packaging for shipping in India. And yes, you won’t find endless plastic tapes around their product, or for that matter, even no polybags!
Editor’s top pick:
For Her
Warning: This may become your favourite top. And why not? Who wouldn't love the great colour, look, and incredibly comfy fit?
Shop this top @ NoNasties.in
For Him
A classy classic, comfy fit, great colour, and as sustainable as a tee can get. Your wardrobe will love this great addition!
Shop this tee @ NoNasties.in
5. SeamsFriendly
An advocate for body positivity and creator of meaningful fashion, SeamsFriendly is an eco-friendly clothing brand with a difference. While most apparel brands release new collections every 6 months, SeamsFriendly does it every 1-2 weeks.
And despite this, they are eco-friendly.
You may be wondering, how is it even possible?
They’ve made it possible with zero inventory, and every order is made-to-order.
This ensures minimal wastage and optimum utilisation of Earth’s resources. Yes, you, as a buyer, get a great fit too!
What makes SeamsFriendly an eco-friendly clothing brand?
- Usage of 100% natural, plant-based fabrics and eco-friendly materials.
- Made-to-order makes them a brand truly for all sizes and leads to minimum possible wastage.
- A cruelty-free brand, they don’t use leather, silk, fur, and wool in their products.
- Maximum usage of natural dyes that are driven from plants and vegetables and are azo-free. Our rivers and lakes will love them for this.
- Eco-friendly packaging - They ship products in 100% cotton reusable cloth bags that are made from leftover fabrics. Now that’s some fantastic usage of waste materials.
Editor’s top pick:
For Her
Pure cotton, azo-free dye, and handspun. Every time eco-friendly and elegance are combined, a fine piece of fashion like this comes into existence. Need we say more?
Shop this top @ SeamsFriendly.com
Conclusion:
Many may wonder, a cloth is a cloth. What difference does it make, right?
Well, it does make a difference.
The unsustainable piece of cloth that covers you may be slowly stripping Earth of its natural habitat.
That unsustainable piece of cloth may also be harming our lakes and rivers.
Our planet needs change, and that change has to come from you and us.
A small lifestyle change of choosing eco-friendly brands can be a game changer.
Along with several others, the textile industry is a significant pollutant globally, but there’s a ray of hope!
And that ray of hope is given by eco-friendly clothing brands. The passionate folks behind those brands are going out of their way to make fashion sustainable and carbon neutral.
Now it’s up to buyers like you to show that you, too, care for Earth.
When shopping for clothes next, give eco-friendly brands a chance, give rural artisans a chance, and ultimately give our Earth a chance to survive and thrive.
