From a student's vision to a sustainability advocate's mission: Aratrika Chauhan's story on Brown Living. Join the movement for a greener future!
Aratrika, a student in a fashion college entered a project during her final year. The project provoked her thoughts. The project allowed her to explore alternative ways of creating sustainable and ethical fashion while still being fashionable and stylish.
She says “The concept of wabi-sabi, which celebrates the beauty of imperfection and the acceptance of natural cycles, resonated deeply with me. It made me realize that fashion did not need to be perfect or trend-driven, but instead, it could be timeless and sustainable, with an emphasis on quality and durability.”
Also, using post-production waste fabric and recycling them into new outfits was a key part of her project. This process made her realize that there was a wealth of resources already available that could be utilized to create new, sustainable fashion pieces.
She realized that she could use her skills and passion for fashion to create a sustainable clothing brand that would promote ethical practices and a commitment to sustainability. And thus, the idea of AC was born - a sustainable women's wear brand that would prioritize sustainability and ethical practices at each step of the production process.
And, choosing sustainability & ethical practices at each little step is a big umbrella of challenges. The topmost is the search for eco-friendly materials that are both, affordable & the best quality. But she faces it indeed as while searching for such materials Aratrika also makes sure to work with suppliers who share the same commitment as her brand, sustainability & ethical practices.
Some of the other key challenges she faces in routine are educating consumers, competing with fast fashion, scaling sustainability, and balancing affordability & sustainability. She has faced every challenge in her own way. Like, to educate consumers she has been actively communicating through her brand in every possible manner & while competing with fast fashion Aratrika focused on promoting the timeless appeal of her designs with the environmental impact it has.
While Aratrika faces challenges in her own ways she’s also very focused on the production process of her brand, AC. A big section of the production process is around inventory but there’s also designing, the creative part where Aratrika aims to create pieces that are versatile & timeless. This will make the customers wear the outfits for years to come.
Then she also works with their production team to ensure that their garments are made in a sustainable and ethical manner. This includes ensuring that their workers are paid fair wages and work in safe conditions. They also aim to reduce waste in their production process by using leftover fabric scraps to create smaller accessories or donating them to local organizations that can use them.
Aratrika believes “While the challenges of sustainable fashion are significant, I've found that by taking a thoughtful and strategic approach, it's possible to overcome them and build a successful and sustainable business.”
Living sustainably has had a significant impact on her life in several ways she believes. Like increased mindfulness, a healthier lifestyle, an improved sense of purpose, a greater sense of community, and reduced environmental impact.
‘Charity begins from home’, Aratrika believes in this phrase as she wants to share her knowledge and resources with her community. Starting from educating people through her platform about sustainable living which includes information about eco-friendly products, sustainable fashion, and ethical production practices.
Also, she is open to collaborations with any sustainability organization or individual to amplify the collective impact while she plans to provide resources and tools to help others transition to a more sustainable lifestyle, such as guides for reducing waste, sustainable fashion tips, and eco-friendly product recommendations.
Ultimately, she believes that the best way to encourage others to live sustainably is to lead by example. She plans to continue to prioritize sustainability in her own life and in her business, and to use her success to inspire others to do the same.
She says “I believe that sustainability is not just a lifestyle, but a mindset and a way of approaching the world that can have a positive impact on all aspects of our lives."
You can find her collection here:
