Fashion is responsible for 10 percent of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions and 20 percent of global wastewater and uses more energy than the aviation and shipping sectors combined.

The 12 young designers from India’s International Institute of Fashion Design, along with local artisans and weavers from different parts of the country, perfectly highlighted the artistry and relevance of Indian handloom.

By Sangeeta Waldron

It was a proud moment to see India having a strong presence at London Fashion Week, where 12 young female designers from India showcased their sustainable collections, at Khadi Utsav Fashion. The spirit of the show was sustainability, along with how this simple, home-spun fabric resonated with a message of empowerment when Gandhi encouraged its use as a symbol of nationalism, equality, and self-reliance during India’s struggle for independence.

Strong, vibrant, and colourful, these carefully curated pure khadi outfits took centre stage for India Day on 17 February, which was organised by the Indian High Commission, in association with London School of Trends. London Fashion Week is a five-day celebration of creativity and innovation that brings together fashion, culture, and technology; and this show encapsulated everything beautifully. This year London Fashion Week ends on 21 February.

Khadi In The Spotlight At London Fashion Week

The 12 young designers from India’s International Institute of Fashion Design, along with local artisans and weavers from different parts of the country, perfectly highlighted the artistry and relevance of Indian handloom, weaves, art and craft to an international audience. The event allowed Londoners to experience the rich textile and handicraft history of India.

The Message

The essence of the show was about how sustainability and fashion can co-exist, and the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami said in his speech, “Khadi is not just the fabric of the story of India’s independence, it’s also the fabric of sustainability. It uses hand-made techniques, organic cotton, organic dyes and is a very special bond between the earth and human beings. It is creative, it is sustainable, it is green, and it is everything that we are looking for in a more sustainable planet.”

A video message was also played from India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi about “khadi for nation, khadi for fashion and khadi for transformation” and the mission to take the fabric from “local to global”.

The Story Of Khadi

Khadi can refer to any natural fabric that is hand-spun and handwoven, whether it is cotton, silk, jute, or wool. While mill-made cloth is essential to satisfy the textile demands of the Indian market, khadi itself is a precious craft deeply intertwined with India’s story. More crucially, it is highly sustainable; and sustainable fashion is very much part of mainstream international conversations. Where there is agreement across the board that it is important to create a better future and a better fashion industry, globally. Sustainable fashion brands play a necessary role in shaping how the fashion industry can improve its practices, reduce environmental harm, and support garment workers.

What makes khadi unique is that in the spinning of khadi, it uses no machines or energy and has a low carbon footprint. It’s estimated that a metre of khadi fabric consumes three litres of water, while one metre of mill-produced fabric requires 55 litres of water. Plus, khadi collectives generate a much-needed income to rural Indian communities. Today, it is part of the solution for the major environmental crisis the world is facing.

Fashion, Sustainability, and the Potential of Khadi

Data shows that during the last twenty years, fashion production has doubled and will likely triple by 2050. Where the production of polyester, used for cheap fast fashion, has increased nine-fold in the last 50 years, and because clothing is now so cheap, it is easily discarded after being worn only a few times, filling up landfill. One survey found that 20 percent of clothing in the US is never worn; in the UK, it is 50 percent. Online shopping, available day, and night, along with influencer marketing has increased impulse buying.

Fashion is responsible for 10 percent of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions and 20 percent of global wastewater and uses more energy than the aviation and shipping sectors combined. While the dyeing process for fabrics, which uses toxic chemicals, is responsible for 17 to 20 percent of global industrial water pollution. The story doesn’t end there, as clothes made from synthetics are washed, microplastic from their fibres are shed into the wastewater. Microplastics then enter the soil and become part of the food chain. The microplastics that elude the treatment plant end up in rivers and oceans, and in the atmosphere when seawater droplets carry them into the air. It’s estimated that 35 percent of the microplastics in the ocean come from the fashion industry.

This is why this revolutionary cloth is a solution for the major environmental crisis that the earth is facing. It can be India’s best export to the world and a much-needed sustainable solution to the global fashion industry. Where consumers can embrace eco-friendly and consciously weaved clothes.