What is the Future of Sustainable Fashion in India

[AMIT GANGULY]

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In India,holidays are nearing and you find yourself' inching' closer to a Retail store. Your Opportunistic self says its your best bet to realize ' Shop till you Drop'. However,  shoppers such as myself who are Ethical or Eco -friendly fashion enthusiast are more or less always bugged by series of such questions - 

--> What are the different Eco-friendly Fashion brands available ?

-> Does a brand selling Eco Friendly product appears dearer to me even though I shell out some extra bucks ?

And last but not the lest 

--> Will the Eco-brand have a general Appeal to the existing natural Fashion trend ? 

 

So, the Question is - Does Environmentally conscious fashion has a future in India ?

 

Pallavi Ganguly, a Fashion Management student of National Institute of Fashion technology (NIFT) Patna, has taken up this challenging Case study. Her analysis methodology attempts to investigate - 

> Present changes in Design trends to account for Environmentally friendly fashion.

> Changes in Design Technology to make it more Environmentally conscious.

> Awareness level among consumers, expectations and benefits for them.

 

Image - Green Shoes

 

Change in Designer's Perspective

Hence, to promote Ethical Fashion among Textile Entrepreneurs,organizations such as  National Association of Sustainable Fashion Designers provide designers tools for Sustainability through various Training and Development activities. To address the triple bottom line of Eco-Friendly fashion designers have to consider > Sustainability and Renew-ability of the fibre, 

> The environmentally conscious index of the process of turning raw fibre into textile,

> The working condition of the Human resources and 

> The Carbon Footprint of the material in its Whole Life cycle.

 

Innovations in Design technology

> DPOL - A technology that reduces fabric loss by 15-20% and lead time by approximately 50%. It produces ready to stitch, shaped, woven garment component.This technology also supports smaller orders so much as One can get garment as per his/her fitting and style.

 

> Herb Infused textile - The idea of Herb Infused Textiles starts with organic cotton, which is then infused with natural dyes made from medicinal herbs and plants.Because of the use of medicinal herbs, the clothes also have a lot of therapeutic value, thus, the fabric has been found very helpful for people suffering from ailments like skin allergies, breathing problems, sleeping disorders etc.

 

Consumer Awareness -Eco-Friendly Brands

> Grassroot by Anita Dongre - An organic clothing brand that promotes usage of cellulosic  or organic fibres,vegetable dyes,bamboo jersey fabric and re-uses waste products in the form of manure.

 

> Madura Garments - Van Heusen has launched its Green Range of apparel in the year 2010. The Organic range started with limited edition, but soon saw it flying off the shelves.

 

> Levi's Eco - Levi's, which already retails organic jeans in the US market, has an organic line for male and female denims called Levi’s-Eco. While the cotton used by the company for making jeans is organic, the button on the waistband is made of coconut shell.

 

Key Findings of the Study 

1.Consumers are aware of Some Fashion brands,however their Awareness level of Manufacturing such Brands has to be enhanced.

2.Consumers demand Pricing Transparency for Eco-Friendly products. Awareness of the Mechanism for evaluating such Products is Essential.

3. Consumers perceive Eco-friendly products as Dull and out of fashion,suitable only for Tree-Huggers. Such a trend has to be changed.

4. Fashion Designers have the Greatest challenge of all; finding suitable Sustainable Design Solutions that are desirable and educate the market about the benefits of their products.

5. Green-Washing a trend adopted by some companies in which they call Any product Green.Consumers are wary of such unethical practices and need to be informed.

 

Conclusion

> Both national and local level governments have to actively participate in promoting Green friendly products. Policies such as tax benefits,discounts on purchasing and so on will enhance the green product receptivity in the market.

> In countries such as Canada and USA, Eco-Friendly stores are separate and are well promoted. Such a frame work can be adopted in India.

> Consumers can be educated about the processes and materials for manufacturing Fashion products. This awareness will enable them to make informed decisions while shopping.

Thus the Green Trend is here to stay ...

    Sustainable and Ethical Fashion CAN be the Future of Fashion in India. 

[GOPI KANTA GHOSH]

Fantastic initiative...let us create awareness in support

[DR. (MRS) RAVINDRA KAUR]

Dear Youngsters ! Three cheers , Yes there is future for Greenovation (Green innovations) in India. Go green and offer others too. Good wishes