Do you ever find yourself drifting back to your childhood memories of Dashain? The month of October marks the arrival of autumn, when the landscape takes on a beautiful shade of orange, the festivities grow near, and the cool evening breeze acts as a gentle reminder of the approaching winter. This brings in a sense of renewal and warmth. 

Decorations add vibrance to the surroundings while people flock in masses to shopping malls as they try to find new attires to flaunt. However, when the festivities come to an end, the streets of Kathmandu bear witness to the aftermath. What was once a venue for extravagant shopping becomes something else entirely—a landfill. The bright colours fade, and all that remains is textile waste. 

Fast forward to the 2020s, fashion is just a few taps away, and you can shop a variety of clothing items from the comfort of your own home. Despite its apparent appeal, people often fail to fully consider its repercussions. The growing influence of social media, online stores, and home deliveries have made clothing trends short-lived.  Through mass production, which enables quick and cost-effective production, clothing companies can manufacture clothes at a much larger volume within a very short time frame. This is commonly referred to as ‘fast fashion’. Fast fashion is reliant on quickly shifting trends that promote the frequent consumption of new clothes, which ultimately leads to a culture of disposable fashion. 

According to the UN, the fashion industry alone is responsible for approximately eight to ten percent of global emissions, surpassing that of the aviation and shipping industries combined. Environmental damage is caused by the clothing production process, which consumes a significant amount of natural resources and involves the use of chemicals. The industry generates around 92m tons of textile waste every year, a highly concerning statistic considering the increasingly evident impacts of climate change. Moreover, the presence of unethical labour practices in the sector is another major issue. A 2019 Oxfam Report revealed that 0 Bangladeshi garment workers and just one percent of Vietnamese garment workers earned a living wage. Disturbingly, one in four Bangladeshi garment workers reported some form of workplace abuse. 

In an attempt to resolve this issue, a growing number of individuals are embracing a more environmentally conscious approach known as ‘sustainable fashion’. It focuses on the production of clothing in an ethical and eco-friendly manner to reduce the negative impacts of the industry. The growing appeal towards ethical business practices has contributed to the substantial popularity of this approach. In recent years, its popularity has risen even more in Nepal. A growing number of people are turning to thrift stores to meet their clothing needs. Many stores offer a wide range of locally crafted sustainable products that cater to people of all age groups. 

This increasing awareness of sustainable living offers hope for a greener future. As sustainable fashion initiatives provide a platform for local communities to showcase their skills and talents, women in Nepal often benefit from such projects through skill training, fair wages, and employment opportunities, which empower them economically. Sustainable fashion in Nepal is undergoing a remarkable change, thanks to the pioneering efforts of women. 

Re-kriti, a brand founded in 2022, specialises in creating practical custom bags from discarded jeans through the upcycling process. While “Re”  stands for Reused, Repurposed and Recycled, “kriti” translates into “work of art”. The brand partners with women from local communities and offers them opportunities which ultimately promote women’s empowerment. Their product line continues to expand, including drawstring bags, travel and makeup pouches, laptop sleeves, coasters, and table mats along with various other items. These products are made from post-consumer jeans, post-industrial denim fabric, and discarded packaging plastics as raw materials. The brand has been raising awareness about the significance of making environmentally conscious choices and has created a mindful community of young individuals. 

Before establishing the brand, Nasana Bajracharya, the founder, was inquisitive about the clothing waste she observed after each Dashain sale in New Road, Kathmandu, her hometown. During her research for a solution, she stumbled upon various upcycling clothing ideas on platforms like YouTube and Pinterest. Upon extensive market research, learning from other eco-friendly businesses, and several experiments of building prototypes, she decided to launch her brand Re-kriti with upcycled denim jeans products in Feb 2022. 

The brand has been consistently dedicated to offering products tailored to meet customer needs. As the products are customised and designed according to each customer’s preferences, it helps form a unique emotional connection between the customer and the product. “This emotional bond helps enhance customers’ appreciation for their chosen products, and thus encourages them to take good care of it,” she says. 

As we reflect on this state of fashion and its current evolution, it is essential to consider our role in making sustainable choices. The choices we make as consumers can drive positive change and contribute to a more sustainable and ethical fashion industry. So, have you considered how you can make sustainable choices?