Arras is a purpose- driven brand that is committed to bringing you stylish fits for your everyday apparel while working towards an equitable and inclusive society.
OUR COMMITMENT
At Arras we are working on the three pillars of sustainability- economic, social and environment. When you purchase an Arras product, you are contributing towards:
Women empowerment: Currently 30+ women weavers and Arras come together to bring about change in our rural communities- the bedrock of our country.
Honouring traditional crafts & livelihoods: Almost half of the weavers in India (~2.2 million) belong to the North East region. In the absence of jobs and mass scale migration to urban cities that cannot take the load on its finite resources, keeping alive our crafts and respecting its value has utmost importance for us.
Development of a unique silk industry: A cruelty-free silk that has not gotten its due standing among fabrics deserves recognition in a world that currently runs 60% of the textile industry on synthetics.
Fair Trade principles: Our partnerships with weavers and suppliers are based on the principles of mutual trust and fair trade. Good working conditions and non-exploitative partnerships are the key for a cleaner fashion industry.
Celebrating our biodiversity: Natural resources are finite. Designing a better future is in our collective hands.
OUR MISSION
To fight for a cleaner and healthier planet through responsible consumption of eco-friendly clothing made in a sustainable production system for a better quality of life for everyone.
We are aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with current focus on the below three goals:
5.5 Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life
An indispensable element of our supply chain is the inclusivity of women who are able to have meaningful participation in our design process. With covid-19 we have seen the devastating impact on the poorest socio-economic sections of society. Women being the majority of the workforce in the textile industry (91% of the total weavers in NER are women) are the most vulnerable to such disasters.
We are a woman led business with 75% of our employees being women. Additionally, we collaborate with 30 women weavers in Assam who contribute to our design process. We aim to make our artisans financially independent and drive change in their communities while working to grow our community of weavers in the next 1-2 years.
8.2 Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high value added and labor intensive sector
8.6 By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training
8.8 Protect labor rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
At Arras we are dedicated to building thriving rural communities. We partner with our weavers to promote their traditional knowledge through our creations. In the still nascent handloom industry in Assam, women work from the safety of their homes with each home equipped with a traditional loom. This makes it easier for them to continue weaving for us while performing household chores and taking care of their young ones.
12.2 By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
Arras’s commitment is to use sustainable fibres produced by partners who share our values of fair trade and environment conservation. All our Peace silk creations are completely handmade and are made using natural dyes. This ensures a clothing line that has significantly lower carbon footprint while ensuring the protection of finite water resources. We have undertaken the first ever Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for Eri Silk. Our goal is to use 100% sustainably grown cotton by 2024.
Plastics, whether single use or in synthetic fabrics, are a no-go area for us. We are fully synthetic free in our clothes and plastic-free in our packaging.
