India: Sustainable fashion maybe the buzzword but it needs a boost to gain popularity

As one of the most globally polluting industries, the fashion industry after the two pandemic years has now woken up to shoulder its responsibility for producing and disposing clothing that do not end up as huge waste and emissions affecting the environment. Although India's textiles and garments industry contributes 5 per cent to the country's GDP, sustainable fashion market in India is still in its nascent stage with manufacturers and consumers not knowing or  caring about the environmental impact of their activity.

Globally, sustainable clothing is now the buzzword referring to fabrics, garments and accessories derived from eco-friendly resources, such as sustainably grown fiber crops or recycled materials. The spectrum of sustainable clothing also includes the use of second-hand retail repair which utilizes up-cycling and re-cycling of clothing that prevents them from being dumped in landfills around the globe.

Niche brands focus on up-cycling and re-cycling

Many Indian brands and designers have started shifting to sustainable practices to address global pollution and use it as their own USP to attract environmentally-conscious affluent customers.

As per Dublin-based ResearchAndMarkets.com, sustainable fashion market in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.6 per cent between 2021-26, this growth will be sharply driven by increased consumer awareness, government initiatives, and the availability of sustainable materials. Consumers are increasingly looking for garments that use organic materials and use minimum amounts of water and chemical dyes in their manufacturing process. Even cotton clothing is being encouraged to be replaced with eco-friendly textiles, that conserve natural resources like water and land and improve the soil.

In accessories segment that includes bags, shoes and jewelry, the bestsellers brands with a product portfolio of sustainable items. Elegant stilettos and smart purses and bags and clothes made of organic materials such as hemp, cork, organic cotton, recycled cotton, and linen in garments and green product labeling that focuses on eco-friendly materials like Tencel and bamboo is driving the expansion of sustainable fashion sector, said Shilpi Gupta, Founder of Shipli Gupta's Design and Chairperson of IMS DIA Institute in a recent media interview.

Other socially responsible garment designers such as Renesa Rastogi from Label RCKC Aurum also say sustainable fashion is gaining significant momentum in India with minimalist fashion and capsule wardrobes becoming popular while reducing the need for excessive consumption. Designers are now actively and creatively repurposing old garments, scraps, and discarded materials to create new garments and increase lifespan.

Several Indian brands are making a mark in sustainable fashion. No Nasties is one of them. A fair trade, organic, and vegan clothing brand it focuses on creating planet positive clothing that offsets the carbon footprint of every product they make. To reach its goals, the brand has invested in offset projects like solar power, wind energy, forest protection and replanting. It has also commissioned Green Story, a third-party life-cycle analysis platform that factors in the supply chain, material composition, and fabric consumption for every product they make, to help them calculate their footprint. 

Driven by a mission to bridge the gap between ancient Indian craftsmanship and modern wardrobes, Summer House works with rural artisans to sustain and revive vulnerable craft communities and help them make the shift from exploitative practices. The brand has partnered 17 craft clusters across India to design one-of-a-kind textiles and handmade garments made with organic fabrics. Then there is The Terra Tribe, a slow fashion brand focuses on quality through short production runs. Their women’s wear collection is made from locally manufactured Tencel, complete with recycled metal trims. Sui, Grasroots by Anita Dongre, Oshadi are many others making a mark in sustaibable fashion in India.

Brand collaborations, influencers boost growth
Many niche designers and start-up companies are now focused on adopting sustainable practices throughout the supply chain. The influence of Indian celebrities and influencers in promoting sustainable fashion by endorsing eco-friendly brands and promoting them on social media and at ethical fashion events is helping the segment garner more attention and become a mainstream trend.

Brand collaboration with local artisan for their traditional hand-made craftsmanship that preserve and promote traditional weaving, dyeing, and embroidery techniques is not only pushing up profit margins but also providing livelihood opportunities to local communities.

Challenges ahead in race to popularity

However, there are a number of stumbling blocks that includes lack of infrastructure to make sustainable products and a fragmented supply chain. These factors are pulling down the growth. Most niche small brands that have small budgets with a fragmented supply chain make it difficult for them to source sustainable materials and ensure ethical production practices. Without the financial and infrastructure capability of bigger brands, there is a need for the government and stakeholders to step in and make a difference.

Market penetration on a pan-India basis is required so that brands can reach a wider audience which will make their products more affordable without compromising on sustainability. A lot needs to be done in consumer education and awareness campaigns needs and a more penetrable marketing strategy is the need of the hour if this segment is to even inch closer to the profit levels of the run-of-the-mill popular fast fashion clothing.