HT Brunch Game Show: Which designer lives the sustainable life?

The one who shuns fast fashion, the one who has a compost at home or the person who wears hand-me-downs?

Pernia Qureshi, age withheld

Madhu Jain,senior fashion designer, an advocate for bamboo fabric, who was awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar by the President of India

Pernia believes with small changes she can be consistent

Sustainability is... Living a life where we are aware of our choices and try to incorporate practices that are less wasteful and better for the environment on a regular basis.

For mindful living: “I use copper and glass water bottles and I only send electronic invites or recycled paper invites. I also use a bamboo toothbrush and we use recycled tissue/toilet paper. I take short showers and keep the water off while I shampoo my hair. The idea is to make small changes that I can be consistent with on a daily basis,” says Pernia Qureshi.

Your work and closet are sustainable because? Pernia has a dedicated sustainable clothing line called Gur Organics, where all products are made from certified organic or recycled material. “My new business, Saritoria, practices buying and selling of Indian designer wear to build a sustainable closet. I wear a lot of vintage and re-use fashion that’s been around for decades to limit the purchase of new garments. I don’t buy high street or cheaply made fashion. Everything I buy is good quality,” says Pernia.

Nimish Shah, 36

Nimish says that sustainability is a lifetstyle

Sustainability is... Using common sense and logic to what you produce, design, consume and care for. It is in one’s curiosity for knowledge on where the product is coming for, its impacts, afterlife etc. — does it really tickle your mind if it is an impulsive purchase. It is a lifestyle.

For mindful living: “I started separating waste — I was reluctant earlier as it would get trashed in a common landfill, but I am doing it now, nonetheless. I am lucky enough to have a home compost. During and post Covid, I’m being even more conscious of my choices and how my decisions impact my surrounding,” says Nimish.

Your work and closet are sustainable because? “I’ve always been frugal with my choices. My designs have longevity, so they become classics over time or second skin, so you get a lot of wear out of them. On a corporate level, we are trying to source as much indigenous textiles as we can, clothes are manufactured in state-of-art factories that care for environment and its people,” says Nimish. Personally, he loves to borrow clothes and pass them on and shops thrift when he can.

Karan Torani, 28

Karan turns all his worn-out clothes into cleaning fabric

Sustainability is... It stands on three Ps — people, sustaining communities and crafts at an economic, and cultural level; planet — having empathy for the limited resources nature has to offer; and past, sustaining history, mythology and stories of one’s country and preserving them for future generations.

For mindful living: “I make sure all my worn-out clothes are turned into dusting or cleaning fabrics for the home. Also, the wastepaper and prints in my studio are recycled monthly to make handmade paper for the sketching sheets and gift tags and I never buy plastic bottles. Instead, I carry a glass water bottle from home,” he shares.

Your work and closet are sustainable because? “We revive the forgotten stories of India and use azo-free dyes. All our fabric waste is utilised into a yearly range of upcycled hangbags and pouches. As for my wardrobe, being younger than my brother, I live my life making clothes for people, while I’m always reusing or upcycling my older brother’s clothes!” says Karan Torani.

And the winner is… Karan Torani

“Make a small change in your life today for a huge impact later”

“It is inspiring to see that all three participating designers have incorporated mindfulness in their lives to a large degree. However, Karan Torani is the clear winner. I love his ‘Three P’ philosophy. Karan comes across as being environmentally aware,” says senior designer Madhu Jain.

“Pernia Qureshi is living her mantra of making the right ‘green’ choices. Her sustainable line of organic clothing is a necessity today. Nimish Shah’s use of locally-sourced raw materials is a step in the right direction. I like his use of the word ‘frugal’,” she adds.

Madhu Jain’s out-of-the-box tip:

“Do not entirely snip off the edge of your milk sachet or cut off the top of a packet. These small bits of plastic often don’t make it to recycling units and end up in drains, from where they flow into rivers, lakes, and the sea. Make this small change today. The impact will be huge.”

From HT Brunch, August 22, 2021

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