OUR MATERIALS
Peace Silk
The principal material in our creations is the Eri, Ahimsa or Peace silk. Eri silk is the local name of a non-violent silk that can only be found in the North East Region. Unlike other types of silk such as Mulberry and Tasar where the cocoons are boiled with the silkworms still inside, Eri silk is derived from cocoons after the silkworms have emerged. This cruelty-free nature has given it the names of Peace silk or Ahimsa silk.
A traditional skill, the cocoons are usually spun by hand into yarn which gives it a linen-like texture with a slight sheen. The silk is comfortable to wear, becomes softer with use and is ideal for day or night wear in any weather. But like any other silk it requires careful usage and maintenance.
Our handspun, handwoven and naturally dyed Eri silk sarees are a 100% sustainable option with a timeless quality that can be worn by anyone, anywhere.
We have undertaken the first ever LCA for Eri Silk. Data from our preliminary research has indicated that the carbon footprint of this handmade Peace silk fabric is 0.65 kg CO2.
Organic Cotton
Kala cotton is indigenous to Kutch, lying in the Western part of India. Grown organically without the use of pesticides and entirely from rain-fed water, our kala cotton fabrics are handwoven by generational artisans from Kutch. The weavers are also skilled in the art of natural dyeing.
Organic cotton is farmed in only 19 countries worldwide. India is the leading country producing 51% of the world's organic cotton. However, the total share of organic cotton is only 0.7% of global cotton production!
We also source GOTS certified organic cotton from suppliers who are aligned with our values of Fair Trade and environment protection.
Conventional Cotton
While cotton is a natural fibre and is biodegradable, unless it is recycled, organic or rain-fed cotton, it is not the most sustainable fabric option due to its heavy consumption of water and toxic pesticides. However, India is the second largest producer of cotton fibres, after China, and cotton based industries play an important role in sustaining the livelihoods of 40 to 50 million people directly or indirectly.
In some cases, we face difficulties in procuring organic cotton yarn that is suitable to be used by our weavers on their traditional looms. However, our commitment towards a fully sustainable economy means that we are constantly working to reduce our dependence on fabrics made from conventional cotton fibres.
_JPG.jpg)
Natural Dyes
India’s handloom industry is skilled in the development of dyes obtained from natural sources. For our Peace silk creations, our weavers use dyes extracted from indigo, turmeric, lac, madder, onion skins, along with many other indigenous plants to produce a palette of colours. Our creations from Kala cotton also uses only natural dyes.
In cases where using natural dyes is not possible, such as in our cotton yarn, we use dyes that are free of harmful azo chemicals.