FEATURE
“ANITA DONGRE, RAJESH
PRATAP SINGH, AND ABRAHAM
& THAKORE ARE RENOWNED
FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN MAKING
FASHION MORE ETHICAL
AND ECO-CONSCIOUS.”
viscose. Tencel, one of the fabrics produced
by the Lenzing Group, is eco-friendly and
completely biodegradable. Speaking about the
brand, Avinash Mane, commercial head, South
Asia, Lenzing Group, says, “Lenzing Group has
been in the apparel industry for over 80 years,
and has been a pioneer in creating sustainable
and environment-friendly lifestyle solutions. The
raw material to create our wood-based fibres is
sourced from sustainably managed plantations.
These fibres are then manufactured by employing
award-winning closed-loop technologies, feeding
it back into the manufacturing process, thereby
causing an overall lower environmental impact.”
38
I APPAREL I
December 2019
Elaborating on this sustainable outlook, Mane
says, “We have seen a steady rise when it comes
to brands and designers—both Indian and
global—moving towards alternative methods to
create sustainable collections. There has been
an increase in the usage of sustainable fibres that
are incorporated in everything from denim and
intimate wear to athleisure pieces and more. In
fact, the category of wood-based cellulosic fibres
happens to be one of the fastest-growing in India.
We have been actively partnering with brands that
share the same goal of making sustainable fashion
mainstream (our design partners Anita Dongre,
Rajesh Pratap Singh, and Abraham & Thakore
are renowned for their efforts in making fashion
more ethical and eco-conscious.) Further to that,
we have also partnered with international retailers
such as Zara and H&M for their sustainable
collections.”
Donear Industries Ltd, a well-known name in
the apparel business, has also been making a
gradual move towards embracing sustainable
fashion. Rajendra Agarwal, managing director,
says, “All our brands have been successful in
forecasting and attuning to our design faculties,
whilst keeping up with the ever-changing
demands of local and global fashion. We are now
actively working towards machines that reduce
water consumption. Innovation has enabled the
industry to come up with environment-friendly
textiles and apparel via methods of reutilising
waste materials and developing eco-friendly fibres.
The consumer, too, is becoming increasingly
conscious about the impact they are leaving on
the environment and it is great to see that they
are actively supporting sustainable brands. With
this consolidation of efforts from Government
statutes, the industry, and consumers, the future
of sustainability certainly looks bright.”