The matchless patchwork

Lakes like Ulsoor and Hebbal are infamous in the City and have established a name for themselves. But not many people know of Vibhutipura Lake. Much like the other water bodies in Bengaluru, it too has been severely mistreated and abused. But there are some who fight for its survival. This is how ‘Reinvention’, a start-up that upcycles used clothes, came into being.

Started in early 2014 by three environmentally-conscious friends — Varsha, Prachala and Chitra — it has come a long way. Says Varsha, “We started it for a cause — to help with Vibhutipura Lake development. We thought we’d donate all the money we got from the sales to this.” They took all the old clothes they had and turned them into something innovative, right from curtains and stuffed dolls to mobile holders, earphone pouches, bags and more.

When they realised that many people are interested in such works, they decided to take it to another level. “It’s not something we sat down and spoke about. We were just having a conversation about all the unused clothes we have (we were making comparisons) and realised that they could be used in better ways than just sitting untouched, in our wardrobes,” she adds. Now, they take scraps from clothes boutiques and give them a new lease of life.

Varsha explains that they take saris and turn them into curtains, make unusual looking pillows, stuffed dolls that kids relate to, accessories that youngsters can use and more. With no restriction on the kind of cloth they use, the three let their creativity flow when given the resources. “We only make things when there is an order. Some people don’t like the idea of using someone else’s clothes so we wait for an order to be placed. So far, we have 200 different varieties of items,” she says.

And she emphasises on the fact that every product is unique and no two look the same. “From strings to slings and more, we have different categories, and each product under these is unique.” So, what started out to be a charitable venture has now turned into a full-time business for the three. “I used to be an engineer and the other two had full-time jobs as well. But we decided to quit them and try this out because it’s more satisfying. And we’ve always been interested in crafting,” mentions Varsha.

To place an order at ‘Reinvention’, visit their Facebook page www.­facebook.com­/reinvent.with.us.