With climate change, hazardous levels of pollution, plastic in our food chains, local producers of products and services overridden by giant corporates…there’s enough bad news going around for many of us to seriously consider leading a more sustainable and ethical lifestyle. At least, as far as we can! An important step toward living sustainably is to choose to shop mindfully from brands who also value an eco-friendly outlook.
Eventually, local communities can come together to source products and essentials from one another. Some brands in India are trying their best to do just that. Here are a few sustainable brands in India, across industries, that are encouraging ethical production as well as consumer habits.
Clothes and fashion
No Nasties
Now, this is a clothing brand that’s not only unique and fashionable, but also supports organic, fair-trade, vegan, and carbon-neutral farming practices. The brand understands the plight of cotton farmers in India and is working towards spreading a message about high-costs of GMO seeds and synthetic farm inputs. Read more here.
Doodlage
A brand that’s championing eco-fashion and pushing for zero-waste, Doodlage calls itself “up-cycled and recycled chic.” And rightly so! Their stylish, contemporary clothes are made using fabric waste from large manufacturing and export units. They collaborate with fair wage units or social enterprises for their handcrafted products. Read more here.
Travel
Green People
Source: Doodlage
In their own words, Green People are “ruralising the urban & glamourising the farmers.” Through rural tourism and agriculture, they work towards holistic rural development and reverse-migration of marginalised Himalayan farmers. Find farm retreats and homestays in Himalayan villages to experience true mountain life. Read more here.
Kipepeo
The best way to travel is to not to vacation but to experience and learn from a whole different lifestyle. Kipepeo works towards bring down the damaging impact of mass tourism on local communities and ecosystems; they are spreading awareness about the delicate balance between man and nature in those regions. Read more here.
Farm products
Zama Organics
Zama Organics is here to promote clean eating. And to do so ethically, of course, the brand works directly with farmers, trying to cut down the number of middlemen involved. Your regular stock of vegetables are accompanied by seasonal fruits and other produces grown organically. Read more here.
Krishi Cress
Krishi Cress is a farm setup that produces chemical-free, seasonal local produce, farm products, kombucha, and more. The farm is managed using traditional techniques and sustainable means, and its people are known for experimenting with recipes using ingredients they grow. They also encourage farm visits. Read more here.
Chocolate
Pascati
Organic and fair-trade chocolate: who doesn’t love that? Pascati chocolates use minimal ingredients to make their chocolate bars and other cacao delicacies. The brand boasts of its practice of controlling every step of chocolate making, from bean to bar, ensuring their actions are as sustainable as they can get. Read more here.
Personal hygiene
Heyday
Using organic and natural fibres of corn and bamboo, Heyday makes sanitary pads, panty liners, and diapers that are environment-friendly. The crops used for these are grown in vertical farms in chemical-free soil, and the disposal covers are made from corn starch. The whole journey of the product a sustainable one. Read more here.
Bumpadum
A baby uses a lot of diapers…A LOT! But using organic cotton, Bumpadum makes diapers (among other things) that are reusable. How lovely would it be to begin your child’s life with a sustainable choice? The fun prints make them even better! Read more here.
Personal care
The Switch Fix
At The Switch Fix, we aim to spread awareness about the intimate connection between self-care and planet care. We talk about how climate change causes anxiety, focus on positive action to combat climate change, and encourage zero-waste and plastic-free living. Always striving to learn more and understand the concept of a sustainable lifestyle, we produce clean and conscious personal care products that are vegan and cruelty-free. Read more here.
Bare Necessities
Bare Necessities started as a conscious effort to deal with the ever-growing unsustainable waste issue in India. The brand promotes zero-waste living. Besides addressing the flaws in manufacturing, distribution, and consumption, Bare Necessities source their ingredients from local farmers and are involved in the garbage crisis. Read more here.
