The price to pay for sustainable fashion is high. And yet, fashion that is not eco-friendly presents an exponentially higher cost to be borne by the environment. All this, and more, was in discussion at the #ConsciousEffort Design Show & Conclave’s fifth edition in Delhi recently.
At a panel discussion during the event, fashion heavyweight Anita Dongre said her namesake brand—which claims to be big on sustainability—is minutely attentive to reducing its carbon footprint.
The design headquarters of the House of Anita Dongre in Navi Mumbai— which she called her “green building”—posits itself as an oasis of sustainability, mindful of recycling wastewater and sourcing natural light. Dongre said the SOPs at her company are constantly revised to incorporate higher sustainability standards. It could be as minor as banning plastic in flower bouquets or as significant as the usage of biodegradable textiles. She said, “Every day is a learning—questioning everything we do and relearn.”
Research by McKinsey posits sustainability as one of the biggest drivers of growth in the global fashion industry in 2022. But when Saachi Bahl, founder of multi-brand luxury store Saahra who helms #ConsciousEffort, first started about half a decade ago, she had customers walk up to her and ask: “What do you mean by sustainability?” She knew then the road would be a long one.
“Our intent and motto are to create a platform that has retail cum advocacy where we address the subject in an independent, inclusive and transparent manner. A lot of our brands are working directly with craft clusters. Many wonderful alternative fabrics and products are coming into the market, from cruelty-free silk to econyl,” Bahl told DH.
Nicobar co-founder Raul Rai, also on the panel, gave credit to the value of authenticity in consumers seeking purpose-driven brands today.
“For me, authenticity aligns with what we’re thinking, saying and doing. The test of a brand is if a customer will stay with them,” he said.
Contrary to the discourse among the upper echelons, the dominant understanding remains that luxury fashion hasn’t traditionally been associated with an ethical conscience.
Allegations abound as to concerns around massive energy consumption, unhealthy waste disposal, a bridge between the price tag and labour remuneration, and greenwashing in the industry. The fashion industry, at present, is single-handedly responsible for about 8-10 per cent of carbon emissions worldwide, UN data says.
Against the context of a growing appetite for luxury consumerism in India—with a market expected to grow annually by 8.03 per cent, per Statista—these become important questions to consider. And the modern citizen, armed with digital resources and data, is considering them consciously. Nothing escapes their watchful gaze, which is ready to break through the surface to trace sustainability and ethics all the way down the supply chain.
This awareness prompted outrage last year against designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee when his luxe label partnered with Swedish multinational H&M, alleged to be a key culprit in the exploits of the fast fashion industry. The episode even drew a response from India’s artisan collective, questioning the collaboration’s position in the movement to fortify the artisan economy sector vis-a-vis luxury production.
The concept of sustainability is rooted in ethics and thus warrants transparency and accountability to build consumer trust. Clients today are seeking more than just aesthetic design when they choose brands. They seek a promise of truth, intent and conscience as clean as the environment sustainability asks we nurture.
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