Two perspectives are often presented when one considers the fashion industry. Two perspectives are often presented when one thinks about the fashion industry. One, the large-scale fast fashion businesses that make billions using technology, and the other, the slower-moving start-ups that work only for the people who worked for them.
Apart from supporting artisans, social fashion startups also address environmental and health issues. They make it easier for people to have clean water and sanitation. This improves the quality of their lives. They also work with farmers to develop sustainable farming practices. This helps preserve natural resources and assures a bright future.
India’s social fashion industry has been growing in recent years. They are aiming to create a balanced economy that is both sustainable and beneficial for the country. They are dedicated to society’s welfare and motivated more by money than a cause.
SOcial entrepreneurship is now a mainstream area.
It was not a mainstream business when social entrepreneurship first became popular. Nowadays, entrepreneurs choose to concentrate their efforts on social success. The According to Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM)A multi-country study found that half the people who start ventures have a primary social or environmental purpose than those who are solely interested in a commercial goal.
Companies have traditionally viewed CSR as either a burden or an expense. Entrepreneurs concerned about sustainability are changing this perception and showing that CSR can be a key to success in business and the creation of value. They are bringing innovation to the table and benefiting society through incorporating sustainability in their business models.
“There should be a better understanding of why it is important to champion a cause. MAATI believes in sustainable manufacturing and wants to set an example to ensure that the products we make do not harm the environment. Also, we ensure that the artisans receive proper care. We never displace our artisans for work,” stated Neha Kabra is the owner of MAATI. An ethical label for fashion that focuses on sustainable and ethically-sourced handwoven Indian textiles.
Young entrepreneurs are the main drivers of this movement
Peter Drobac, Director, Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, stated that, “Younger generations are more deeply connected to societal issues and want careers that will allow them to create positive change.”
Social fashion startups are shifting to a greater understanding of the Triple Bottom Line. This includes the people and planet, as well as PROFIT. These start-ups have a profound impact on how people consume and live. Some start-ups are the best in the world, offering vocational training for artisans and working with the environment.
FABORG: Ambitious plans to fight desertification and reverse the effects of land degradation
There are many ways that the fashion industry can damage the environment. To grow cotton, you need a lot of water and pesticides. Once it is harvested it requires a large amount of energy to make it into fabric. Gowri has been involved in weaving and creating textiles for fifteen years. His mission was to establish a business that would be 100 percent sustainable while supporting farmers and afforestation. Faborg in 2015 in the state of Tamil Nadu – a company that creates sustainable, natural fabrics and products.
One of the company’s goals is to help combat desertification by halting and reversing land degradation. Multi-crop agriculture is used to restore forest land that has been damaged. The company also empowers dryland communities and farmers by providing income all year in vulnerable regions of the country where the livelihood is uncertain.
“I have 15 goals which are streamlined when it comes to Faborg and its vision, Apart from the development of Weganool A 100 percent plant-based, chemical-free fabric that is made from Calotropis fibers and regenerative organic Cotton. Arka is being developed It is a chemical substance that naturally occurs in the environment and repels insects. However, the most important goal is to combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”, stated Shankar.
Rustic Hue: Focus on crafting revival and collaboration with local weavers
Indian craft is an integral part the culture and customs in rural and tribal communities. However, a handful of visionary start-ups aim to revive its history for a better tomorrow. A research-based conscious label is one example of such a start-up. Rustic Hue that focuses on product development through design-by-design interventions in craft clusters by collaborating with local weavers’ communities like Meher Bhulia And Kosta.
“We identified the weavers’ communities who once used to work on a craft and eventually stopped producing as they couldn’t tap the right market or connect to the consumers for that craft because of which they diversified to practice other weavings, leaving behind the existing one and it took us almost nine months to persuade them to restart working. Our ‘Bapta Revival Project’ is an outcome of our effort that brought the weaver’s communities back to practising it,” said Creative Head and founder, Swikruti Pradhan.
The Bapta revival project also won India’s Best Design Award 2022 in Textile Design Category which was organised by Indi Design.
This brand is a knowledge-sharing platform that provides inputs to market segmentation, product diversification and craft revival. It also gives weavers opportunities to develop their craft skills and exposes them to new markets. They are also made aware of all the financial loan options, Government schemes and opportunities that can be availed to maximize their benefits. This helps the craft revival community in the most positive way.
Hoomanwear: Creating social enterprises in healthcare, education, and waste management
Hoomanwear, a Mumbai-based company that uses fashion to communicate its message and raise money for worthy causes. Harshil Vora, Founder, I have always believed that strong changes can be achieved when people are united in their pursuit of social and environmental causes.
“We design a collection for a cause and donate more than 30 per cent of our profits to NGOs working for them,” stated Harshil.
The brand contributes 30% of its income to various NGOs. This includes Peepal Farm an animal rescue shelter. Ahimso Parmo Dharma Group is where funds raised will go to the Ahimsa Festival. It’s an annual vegan festival organized by APDG. The aim of the Ahimsa Festival is to spread peace and love through simple lifestyle choices.
It also supports The YP Foundation – a youth-led organisation that runs comprehensive sex education (CSE) programme across. CSE training will be provided and support by other NGO’s.
Also, Hoomawear has been associated with One Earth Social Initiative (OSEI))The non-profit organization aims to increase awareness of climate change and the environmental crisis. The One Earth Collection raises funds to provide composting and seed bombs, planning kits, tree planting drives, clean up drives, as well as other products.
The Cause Wear gives 100 percent of its revenue to social development
If funds can be used to make real changes, like community development, then they’re considered a great help. The fashion industry has an enormous scope and is the main driver when it comes to community building initiatives.
“When I started The Cause Wear, I knew every cent earned will be provided to those in need of immediate help rather than donating to an NGO. I with my eight members had focused on the group of people who actually needed help and we have personally reached out to them,” said Shreya Chauhan, Founder of The CauseWear in Chennai
She also added that, “Sustenance and social conscience are two imperative pillars we need to build our world around.”
In addition to manufacturing T-shirts, Cause Wear also began making them. The company has sold over 8000 and will continue to produce 3000. The Cause Wear has also begun to develop fabric from recycled PET bottles. It is affiliated with Jain Metal Rolling Mill and KSJ Metal Impex Pvt Ltd. with a goal of protecting the environment as much as possible.
In order to support education for the less fortunate, Perungudi has constructed classrooms and provided books and mobile phones to children from Lotus Blind School. It is not only helping patients with cancer, but also delivering medical equipment as well as educational purposes.
“It’s like a chain reaction, one small help goes a long way. Muthuma was a Chennai-based transgender woman of 45 years who needed help to establish her own business. Idli cart and also helped a few orthopedically challenged individuals by funding limps and calipers they’d require to be able to walk freely and lead a normal life. We have several other examples like Muthuma,” Shreya added.
DHARAVI MARKET.com – A mission to empower and hire artisans from Dharavi in Mumbai
It’s a great saying. The advanced level requires mastery over the basics Survival is easier when an individual improves their skills. Craftsmen who produce better products can earn more by obtaining bulk orders worldwide for promotional gifts, white labelling of various brands, and making industry-specific products. Communication craftsmen are able to double or even triple their order volume and grow their earnings fivefold by providing little assistance in technology, branding, finance and marketing.
The same motivation to support talented artisans, Megha Gupta Founded dharavimarket.com Its NGO Waychowers Foundation In 2014, the focus was on the holistic growth of Dharavi’s artisans as well as vocational training for the craftmen to ensure that they can produce goods with high quality and exportable technology while also providing benefits for their families through education, health and sanitation.
They are known for their leather handbags and jackets. Each sale also contributes to vocational and skilled training of local craftmen. Megha also developed digital documentation to preserve arts and engage Gen Next.
Dharavi Market also has 90 Feet, a registered brand that is entirely handcrafted by local artisans.
According to The Good Trade, “Social enterprise models are a smart, savvy way to combine the best of traditional non-profits and traditional businesses.” This is because while social enterprises aspire to make a profit, they reinvest those profits back into creating positive social change instead of just lining the pockets of people at the top.
It can be difficult to balance the pull and push of commercial viability and financial viability.
Social entrepreneurship often gets asked if it is able to generate sufficient commercial value to make it sustainable. Experts believe that there needs to be more done to make it easier to access finance and scale up companies to a large extent, as well as to evaluate their social impact.
“Commercial viability is a challenge for craft businesses like Rustic Hue when we genuinely create things to reduce environmental impact at each level of the supply chain. Although we care about growing the brand, we also take the time to establish the base of our company and keep true to the brand’s values. It isn’t a cakewalk for sure but the goal to work for the upliftment of society keeps my brand moving forward despite challenges,” said the owner of Rustic Hue.
While each business is different, all of them use some type of revenue source for charitable causes. Some companies contribute a portion to charity, while some focus more on brand and branding. Some businesses have begun to make their own sustainable products and accessories. This is all helping to transform the fashion industry as well as its effect on the environment.
All funding options have pros and cons when it comes to financing a social startup. For example, government grants are often quick and reliable but can also be subject to many restrictions. While private donations may be more flexible, stable and long-term support is possible with them. Start-ups should always consider the amount of money they need and the interest rate when considering loan options from financial institutions. Even if the goal is to pay for operating expenses by selling services or products, the money may not suffice to keep the company afloat long-term. Regardless of which method one chooses, it’s important that the start-up has a clear plan for how it will use the funds and what it will do with the capital which does get really tricky.
“Even though impact investing and crowdfunding platforms are catching up to the concept and there could be multiple investors, the economic viability for Faborg comes only from my farmers, who are godfathers and the first-mover innovators in the industry who are ready to explore products such as mine. Although we are bootstrapped, we have achieved satisfactory results despite no external help,” said Gowri Shankar.
The popularity of crowdfunding and impact investing platforms is on the rise
As organisations look for investments that reflect their values and beliefs, impact investing becomes more common. Crowdfunding, another method for funding social start ups is also popular. Kickstarter is a platform that allows entrepreneurs to raise small amounts of capital from a broad range of people.
Social start-ups are finding it increasingly hard to get funding from traditional sources like venture capitalists. New funding options such as impact investing and crowdfunding are growing in popularity. This trend is expected to continue, as social entrepreneurship grows in popularity among VCs.
However, the truth is, it comes down to accepting that these start-ups are possible. Such start-ups could be made more competitive by adopting a new paradigm in their buying.