It’s a common saying that sustainability begins at home and to be honest, we completely agree. It was with this thought that we had launched The Design Collective Edit, a space dedicated to showing brands that were making efforts to be more environmentally and socially conscious.
Today, we are proud to announce that Shuffling Suitcases, India’s first 360° sustainable platform will be taking over The Edit from 6th – 9th January this year. Read on to know more about this exciting collaboration.
Shuffling Suitcases was started by Devyani Kapoor, a sustainability thought-leader and slow fashion advocate, in 2017. It began with the aim of creating a platform which helped people make better choices by bringing together sustainable homegrown brands and underground artists under one roof. The brands exhibited in cities across India—showcasing fashion and lifestyle products that were sustainable and ethically made. Since its launch, the founder has managed to create a community of conscious consumers who are interested in making more thoughtful choices and drive the sustainability movement forward.
This year, for the first time, this prolific platform has finally made its way to Sri Lanka. Showcasing at The Edit, Shuffling Suitcases is bringing with them a plethora of amazing, Indian brands for their 26th version of The Conscious Edition.
“The Design Collective Edit ‘take-over’ by Shuffling Suitcase will consist of sustainable jewellery and clothing by some of the amazing designers Devyani works with. The line up is specially curated for Sri Lanka and we look forward to showcasing this collection at The Design Collective “Edit” store in Rosmead Place.”
— Shahili Gomes-McCoy and Binu Wickramasinghe, Co-Founders of The Design Collective
Get ready to experience the merging of traditions, cultures, fashion ethics along with aesthetics. Block these dates on your calendar this weekend for Colombo’s biggest sustainability event. With every purchase made, Shuffling Suitcases will plant a tree in your name. What are you waiting for? Come, visit us now!
The Conscious Brands
Selected by the team over at Shuffling Suitcases, the entire collection of brands have been curated for their decision to make choices that benefit people and the environment. At the event, you’ll spot sustainable textiles as well as handcrafted products that have been made by artisan clusters from all over India.
Mason and Mill
Mason meaning ‘maker of homes’ and ‘Mill’ meaning ‘factory of textiles and clothing’, together come to form a lifestyle brand for fuss free everyday living. Preserving the traditional weaving and dyeing techniques along other Indian crafts, the brand aims to promote sustainable practices within the industry. The collective skills of artisans and weavers to make everyday essentials that prioritise comfort over style and timeless over trendy.
Aarjavee
Conceived by the idea of versatility and comfort, Aarjavee focuses on handcrafting contemporary clothing and statement jewellery, the spirit of which lies in the shapes and forms drawn from nature. Bringing functionality, longevity and aesthetics together, the brand designs pieces for the free-spirited, independent woman.
DE’ANMA
The brand strongly believes in ‘less is more’. Their design style is minimal, sharp and structural, where each piece is finely handcrafted by local artisans using traditional and contemporary methods.
Dressfolk
Working with artisans and weavers, Dressfolk is a direct-to-consumer company that designs and produces handcrafted apparel made from handwoven, certified organic textiles in a modern avatar. It empowers the craftspeople to flourish, while providing them with educational opportunities to improve their skills and efficiency.
Kavya Singh Kundu
Tale As Old As Time is an upcycled project taken up by Kavya Singh Kundu to help Bengal weavers with their dead stock. With a focus on jamdani and fine cotton muslin, they create several collections throughout the year that have been crafted with the utmost love and care.
Parama
Parama translates postcards of Calcutta on fabric which includes images of Shiuli and Palash, the yellow taxi, the Howrah Bridge and others. Through threads and needles, they tell everyday stories of the city.
Yam
Yam is a print-centric millennial run brand that produces locally, and doesn’t adhere to the retail calendar. They proudly make our own prints (#yamprint) and strive to create new and contemporary artworks from traditional techniques of weaving embroideries, sketching, and painting.
Originate
The idea of Originate seeds to portray a compelling narrative and initiate conversions that are relatable and relevant through clothing by drawing inspirations from the unparalleled beauty of nature. Their collections use organic colours with strong textural identities.
House Of Clone
House Of Clone believes that design is a reflection of one’s style and values. They liberate themselves from the rules that dictate the world of fashion and break away from fast fashion. Their goal is to create designer wear that is accessible to all who seek comfort.
The Slow Studio
With their heart and soul rooted in India, this jewellery label creates contemporary designs that follow the philosophy of slow fashion. Handcrafted in Jaipur, the Binary collection merges together the East and West by keeping the age-old Indian craftsmanship techniques alive and mixing it with iconic London style. Handcrafted in 22 Karat gold-plated reclaimed brass, the collection is a modern, minimalistic take on the 5000-year old Filigree technique.
Ingrained
The brand stands at the crossroads between personalised aesthetic and innovation, sourcing materials in very small batches so as to minimise damage to the ecosystem. Their collection, Sweet Beginnings is an ode to our beginning. Simplistic, vintage and with a naturalistic appeal, it is insight into their journey as a homegrown brand.
Zanzibar
Zanzibar was born out of a journey to bring the experience of travel to everyone. The sheer pleasure of slow living and embracing the smaller joys of life. It is brought to life for the woman who has her feet in the sea, salty breeze in her hair and head in the clouds. The Zanzibar wardrobe is a versatile and elevated essential that is a staple for every woman around the world.
Mati
Mati means ‘soil’ in Sanskrit. Inspired by how the soil flows and moulds, the brand replicates that feeling with their comfortable silhouettes. The raw organic feel comes from sustainable and handwoven fabrics while the shapes are inspired by nature and earthy colours.
NOMH
With a mutual vision to create a holistic lifestyle with all things natural, organic, and hemp, NOMH collaborates with artisans to explore deep-rooted Indian traditional craft. They create sustainable lifestyle products focussed on nourishment, mindfulness and design.
