5 Fashion Startups That Will Make Sustainable Fashion Your New Normal

Sustainable fashion is becoming popular over time. These five Indian startups are reshaping the industry with waste-free and ethical practices.

1. Juhu Beach Studio (JBS) Juhu Beach Studio by Prakruthi Rao and Akshara Mehta turns textile waste into handcrafted products using discarded fabrics.

“We were very keen on having an all-women team,” says Prakruthi. JBS offers an inclusive workspace and creates standout designs from waste.

2. Unirec Founded by Kapil Bhatia in 2021, Unirec recycles plastic bottles into garments like shirts, jackets, and trousers.

“Each garment sold by us last year has helped in recycling 12 plastic bottles of 1 litre each,” says Kapil. “It is ‘as normal as’ other fabrics,” he adds.

3. Tega Collective Niharika Elety launched Tega Collective in 2022, blending indigenous craft with modern design and natural fabrics like khadi and eri silk.

Collaborating with Adivasi communities, she shares, “You need a team to create a collective, so don’t try to do everything yourself.”

4. Hibiscus Heroes NIFT graduate Sowmya founded Hibiscus Heroes after working in Auroville and then in Tommy Hilfiger, inspired by eco-friendly methods and slow fashion.

She uses lyocell, modals, and natural dyes. “The pigment in the leaf changes if the monsoon is late or early,” she says of the unpredictability.

5. JEBSISPAR Jebin Johny, raised in Kerala, founded JEBSISPAR in 2015, using Kuthampully handloom and eco dyes, inspired by his childhood.

“It takes an artisan 250 days to weave a saree, but at the end of it, he is paid Rs 250,” he says. Through his brand, he improved conditions for weavers and used eco-friendly dyes.