National Handloom Day: Sustainability in fashion should start from customers

CHENNAI: Do you find yourself buying every garment you see online or while window shopping? From this National Handloom Day that falls on Wednesday, perhaps take a moment to consider whether you truly need that item. Sunitha Prasad, the founder of Sondham, encourages customers to reflect before making purchases and to steer clear of fast fashion brands.

From the industry’s perspective, brands should produce in small batches to reduce waste. They need to work closely with weavers to achieve the desired outcome, instead of wasting the time, energy, and skill of these artisans,” says Sunitha. She believes that industry professionals should find ways to minimise production and transportation waste. “Sustainability should primarily start with the customers. With the wedding season approaching, they should try to style their old sarees in new ways to create an aesthetic and unique look. Being mindful of their purchases and maintaining a balance is crucial. Upcycling is an effective method for promoting sustainability,” she adds.

National Handloom Day is celebrated each year to highlight traditional handicrafts. This year’s theme focuses on integrating technology and innovation into handloom weaving to broaden market access and enhance skill development for artisans.

Based in Chennai, Sondham aims to educate people about the beauty and history of Indian handloom and handmade products. “In the spirit of celebration and collaboration with like-minded small businesses, we are thrilled to present our first batch of hand-woven and hand-stitched garments under the Sondham Aadaigal collection today. Our main goal with this launch is to enhance the repeat value of each garment,” she shares.

The collections have unique names such as V-sattai and No Alavu. “We wanted to give a contemporary touch to our traditional wear,” she states. In line with sustainability, the garments use azo-free dyes. Sunitha suggests that the government could start a centre or society to guide newcomers on successfully setting up online businesses. “

“As everything is moving online, people should leverage social media as an effective tool to establish their presence amid growing competition,” she reflects.