Page 34 - Masala Lite Issue 155 November 2023

SUSTAINABLY On average, to justify a garment’s
environmental footprint, you
STYLISH times or pass it on to
should wear it at least 30
someone who will use
it so that it does not end
up in a landfill. When you
custom make from a tailor
Cost Per Wear or buy unique clothes from
sustainable brands, you
will easily be able to use it
Aparna Sharma tells us how sustainably-made 30 times without it falling
clothes can save you money over time. apart. There is an increase
in the number of brands which are
Have you heard of calculating the Cost Per Wear (CPW) for the clothes you buy? It’s committed to making clothes sustainable
a simple concept which will help you stay sustainable and stylish. Sustainably-made and stylish. As demand goes up, they
clothes usually have a higher price tag than clothes from fast fashion brands, as they are becoming more affordable too.
are tailor made, with fabrics which are circular and eco-friendly. By investing in fewer higher-quality
garments, you’ll make a difference for the planet and also save money
CPW, calculated by dividing the price by the number of times an item of clothing is
worn, is a basic metric which enables you to work out the value of the investment in the long run.
you made on any particular item of clothing. It is simply a calculation that helps Here are four sustainable brands I can highly recommend:
consumers to see the lifetime value of their purchases by calculating the cost each
time they wear it. Clothes from sustainable brands are usually well made, and they Okhai: This brand empowers more than 25,000 artisans and their price is lower than
are meant to last longer than cheap clothes. A sustainable brand is committed to some fast fashion brands. They mostly use regular cotton, but they are committed
ensuring that you use the outfit for as long as possible and some of them can go to empowering indigenous artisan communities. They are based in Gujarat, India
back to the soil at the end of their lifetime. and deliver worldwide.
Fast vs Slow Fashion Shibui: They make sustainability so gorgeous and stylish. They are vegan and cruelty
free, and all their garments are made from sustainable fabrics like organic cotton,
This is an extremely nuanced conversation and it depends on multiple factors like hemp etc. Their designs are so versatile and can be worn multiple times. Based in
your personal style, budget, and accessibility to sustainable fashion. If you find Rampur, UP, India, they deliver to Thailand.
sustainable fashion brands expensive but you want to consume fashion responsibly,
you can buy from thrift stores or attend clothing swap events. Bangkok Recycling Hibiscus Heroes: This Auroville (Pondicherry)-based brand makes clothes from
Chain has clothing swap parties regularly, and I personally love swapping clothes. plant-based dyes and they use only sustainable fabrics. Their boho-chic designs are
perfect for Sunday brunches and beach holidays. You can also style them for everyday
If you can afford the price tag, buying from sustainable brands is much better for the office wear, depending on your personal style.
environment than buying from fast fashion brands. If you bought a fast fashion item
for THB 500 and wore it four times and got bored of it or it started tearing, your CPW Folkcharm: This is a Thailand-based brand with classic designs that can be worn
on that item would be THB 125 (500 ÷ 4). Conversely, if you spent THB 1500 on an every day. Their clothes are hand woven in Loei, Thailand, and they use organic
organic cotton dress from a sustainable brand, these brands are usually made to last cotton and natural dyes.
and their items are more unique, so you’ll probably want to wear them more often.
Just by wearing the dress 15 times, its CPW would be THB 100 (1500 ÷ 15). Ideally, a
sustainably made item of clothing should last for at least 40 to 50 wears – one of the Aparna Sharma is a non-conformist who believes that fashion must become a
main criteria to be considered a sustainable brand is that it should be high quality force for good and style must meet sustainability. She breaks down the
and last for a long time compared to cheaply made clothes. nuances of slow fashion and how we can stay stylish without being trendy.