Landfills are brimming with urban waste, so much so that by 2050, India is reportedly going to need a landfill that’s the size of its capital, New Delhi!
While there’s growing awareness for sustainable fashion and consumers are willing to make more eco-friendly choices, affordability has become a major constraint.
A recent report by Kantar India said that despite inflation, “people’s desire to be sustainable has not eroded. The cost-of-living crisis reminds us that green products need to be affordable for sustainability to become mainstream. Brands that offer sustainable options that are affordable will be favored.”
Actor and entrepreneur Alia Bhatt’s kidswear company Ed-a-mamma has done just that – it has managed to bring down the price point of its sustainable clothes.
Ed-a-Mamma’s clothes are priced in the range of ₹399 to ₹1,899.
If more brands bring their prices down and focus on giving back to consumers, sustainability could see greater adoption in the country, which Ed-a-Mamma’s business head Iffat Jivan believes is challenging but possible.
“If [sustainable] brands are … more affordable, there is no reason why somebody would not want to buy a product that is sustainable because you’re actually contributing towards the planet, towards the environment, and at the same time, you are not burning a hole in your pocket,” Jivan told Business Insider India.
Why are sustainable clothes expensive?
Sustainable garments are made from organic fibers – free of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, and causing zero harm to mother earth – that are hard to source. This is why sustainable clothes tend to be more expensive as the cost is passed on to the consumers.
Ed-a-Mamma sources all its organic fibers from India, which has helped the brand price its clothes in the same range as fast-fashion products.
