A Saree is more than Power Dressing!

A Saree is more than Power Dressing! It is an Art that stands for Environmental Consciousness, Sustainable Development, and rich Cultural Heritage — all at the same time!

Last week, a small talk with a client on shift-left in technology industry led to a conversation on the very layered topic of shift-left for sustainable living. So now I am compelled to write about it here!

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One very common causerie that I end up engaging in, with even formal acquaintances, is my love for Indian wear. Even my western wear is mostly made of Indian textiles. They observe, they ask and then I tell them about the weave or craft I am donning that day. If they ask more, I beam with pride saying that almost all of my daily wardrobe is natural fabric, a large percentage of which is hand-crafted apparel, with many pieces being even hand-loomed and few even sourced directly from the weavers or grassroot artisans. Many obviously associate my love for rich Indian textile heritage to my artistic alter-ego. But then they come for a surprise when I tell them that my love for Indian textiles evolved from my concern for environment, facilitated initially by countless sarees inherited from Mom and MIL! And this choice that started as a conscious step towards sustainable living, has now doubled up for an artist appreciating the work of other artisans and a rich cultural heritage!

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Yes I barely own non-natural fabrics, and even my commercial grade pieces are from brands that are either local or practice some consciousness towards sustainability. My synthetics are limited to occasional wear like winterwear or swimwear or couple of items mis-sold to me. I do not care for designer brands, detest fast fashion and absolutely do not buy anything that could be made in sweat shops, how much ever cheap.

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Now a few points to emphasize why this discussion is important:

1. Buying local is one of the UN’s sustainable development goals because it reduces carbon footprint, strengthens local economies, creates fair jobs and encourages responsible demand-supply. Designer brands regularly get called out for unethical practices towards workers and environment. Sweat shops, are outright unethical — period — and it’s easy to recognize from labels. There should be no shame in buying local or unbranded!
2. Non-natural or even some semi-natural fabrics (eg. polyester, nylon, acrylic, viscose, etc.) are some of the biggest sources of microplastic pollution. Don’t even get me started on how chemical dyes pollute the planet and our bodies. Plus, local fibers and fabrics are traditionally more attuned to local climatic conditions and hence better for the body.
3. Hand-weaving or hand-crafting (eg. Hand block prints) is usually done with high quality and carefully selected materials that can last much longer than commercial-grade / machine-made, if cared for. After all, not all synthetic fabrics last long. This can sometimes justify the higher costs of natural fabrics for a buyer. Yes, natural dyes (though rarely available now) do fade away faster, especially with harsh detergents of today that are again not good for environment. But do you know, high quality natural fibers allow better air circulation, trapping less sweat and bacteria, and thus require fewer washes than synthetic garments?!
4. When it comes to materials for accessories like bags and footwear, establishing which of vegan vs conventional leather is more eco-friendly, is unfortunately like an np hard problem because no calculations go beyond carbon footprint and take into account the impact through landfills. Vegan leather is more often than not made from polymers and non biodegradable material. Cattle raising for leather and tanning industry (while tanning techniques are constantly evolving with environmental consciousness) have a heavy carbon footprint too, plus the ethical concerns. The LWG is a very debatable rating globally. So personally, I go with the logic of durability — at least I am dumping less in the landfills. My leather bag lasts a minimum of 5yrs (with light maintenance) compared to a faux leather one which lasts for 1–1.5years at best.

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It takes a journey to appreciate the above, and to get anywhere close to plausible, forget the ideal weave-to-wear. I was a heavy consumerist until a decade ago. But if we begin somewhere, we get somewhere. Following could be a potential roadmap. One could graduate along as it feels convenient and pocket friendly.

1. Buying a natural-fabric garment from a local-brand is half the battle won. Let it be commercial-grade, machine-made, chemical-dyed!
2. Be a conscious consumer also for your footwear, bags, etc. Do we really need footwear or bags in every color? Eg. For women, just a peep-toe each in black, white, and neutral should suffice for all kinds of Indian or Western work wear. We don’t easily get go-with-all footwear designs in the market because we are not putting our foot down on them, literally and figuratively!
3. If it matters, the next step is to pay attention to the labels (just like how we pay attention to calorie charts on food packets). Learn to identify the ‘hidden sugar’ in the labels. Market is full of local brands selling machine-made chemical-dyed stuff in the name of natural or artisanal. Hand block printed (HBP) vs block printed, hand-woven vs woven, are different things. You may choose to buy the cheaper, but at least try to be aware. You may buy the expensive one and still get duped, but at least you are making an effort.
4. In India, we are blessed with a rich textile heritage from nearly every state. When you travel anywhere in India, understand the weaves or textile crafts of that place or state. Go visit the local artisans or collectives or government stores, if possible go to places where you can see the artists in action. Read the stories on the labels, understand what the collective or brand stands for. You will start loving your clothes as pieces of art, or as very unique/exclusive possessions that can’t be spotted on ten other people. And then all the pricing, hand-washing and caring for clothes won’t hurt!
5. Understand the supply chain. How much do the middle men take away from the artisans? There are brands that publish the %age share that goes to weavers and craftsmen. ~26% is the highest published that I have come across, so you can imagine the exploitation in unpublished cases. Often, not much due diligence can be done even on published claims (esp with smaller brands) but go as ethical as possible with trust. Do not buy duplicates from cheaper brands because it again hurts the artisans.

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Remember, the more the demand, the better the supply. The more the understanding, the better the value for money. It is sad that how our rich textile heritage, our natural vegetable or mineral dyes, our crafts are dying due to lack of demand or understanding of the genuine vs fake. Some sad data points here: While Chikankari has regained popularity, only <10% of what is available in the market is hand-embroidered traditional jaali! <2% of Ajrakh is made with natural dyes which was unique to the craft in the first place!

As a working woman, the daily logistics of farm-to-table have been tough for me. While above is work too, somehow bringing it to practice has been easier because one doesn’t go shopping everyday. While the choices are plenty for women in India, I have been able to find casual shirts and festive wear for the men in my household following the same principles, and they stand out with pride.
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So next time you wear a Saree or garment made of Indian textile, remember it is a symbol of power dressing, art, rich cultural heritage, environmental consciousness, and sustainable development — all at once! And in many cases, it is also a symbol of empowering rural (crafts)women!