Eco-friendly fabric Bamboo

For some of my Fall'11 collection I had decided to use knit bamboo fabric to create fabulous textures and garments, that are soft and luxurious but do not harm the environment. As I was putting together this collection, I realized that a lot of people do not know about the advantages of using bamboo as opposed to cotton. I think it is a great fabric that is gaining popularity all over the world and it would be a good idea to educate people about it. I am attaching a list of pro's and cons from various sources in an attempt to shed some light on this fabric.

Pro's
1. Bamboo is a plant that grows very rapidly, average of 1 foot per month. It also releases a lot more oxygen while absorbing more green house gases.
2. Because of its rapid growth, it thrives without pesticides or fertilizers. It's roots also stabilize soil and reduce erosion.
3. The fiber is strong, lightweight and wicks moisture. It is soft and shiny as silk, yet has the comfort of cotton. It helps keep cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
4. The fiber breathes well and is also shown to block 98% of UV Radiation which makes it good for active wear.
5. Bamboo also drapes and dyes well, as was proved with some of our clothing.

Cons
1. The process to convert bamboo into fiber can use harsh chemicals and bleaching that can be harmful to the environment. However, its still less harmful than the cotton, that uses heavy pesticides, or nylon/polyester fabrics that are derived from petroleum.
2. Few suppliers of fabric makes the supply volatile and prices variable. Although, with gaining popularity there is a spurt in growers and manufacturers in places like China and India.

Despite these cons, Bamboo is still a great fabric to use in all kind of textile driven industries. With its growing popularity, there is a lot of research on the way to make it more greener and effective. I strongly believe that this is going to be one of the popular fabrics in the coming seasons.


Sources:
greensham.com
greenlivinggoddess.com

Naturally dyed Hand woven wool

Happy New Year!

As everyone knows, our brand Avni is all about uplifting the indigenous arts and taking them to new heights in fashion. One of our goals is to partner with the artisans on reviving their eco-friendly roots by helping them gain access to natural dyes. Many of them have already expressed interest in working with us on naturally dyeing fibers and fabrics themselves. A project we will continue to grow as more artisans express interest.

Here is one of our hand woven, Jacquard weave, wool fabric from Varanasi. Our artisans (shown weaving here) have handcrafted these for Avni so that we can naturally dye the fabrics to create a unique, rustic texture. Our wool skirt with pleats is dyed in pomegranate skin. See more of this fabric in our Fall'11 collection.

Warrior like Jewelry

As always, my love for jewelry brought me on a trip to Zoya, one of my favorite boutiques in Mumbai that carries amazing clothing and accessories. They carry jewelry from some of my favorite designers like Suhani Pitte. Check out some the pieces from their store.

Embroidery- a one of a kind art form

For everyone who adore and cherish the intricate art of embroidery, there is always an inherent understanding that the shawl/stole/purse or wall hanging that is purchased is most likely the only piece that exists. As I am moving more deeply into my endeavors in the fashion world, I am realizing that all embroidery is a one of a kind art form. Even work like Kantha, which has been used in our collections, is very difficult to replicate. The reason? Most of the women who make this embroidery use it as a form of expression. They like to explore their skills as a means of telling their stories and each artisan is unique in their handicraft.

This creates some problems for us in the fashion world who want to proliferate this art all over the world. Common practice of duplication is not possible and many use innovative methods to generalize designs. One such organization is Qasab in Bhuj. They help develop their artisans by providing signature cushion covers and handbags that are embroidered in variety of ways. On my visit to their office today, I saw all the women busy cutting up embroidery to create a melange of colors for an order of 800 wall hangings. "Embroidery for 800 pieces is almost impossible to execute in a short span of time", says Meenaben, one of the main organizers for the group, " We had to creatively make artwork using existing embroidered fabrics to ensure the order is executed fast". She is one of the few people in Gujarat who has been encouraging artisans to execute domestic and international orders in a timely manner in order to ensure repeat orders and economic stability.

Seeing this wonderful organization in action really made me think about the various techniques of embroidering and how we can make the fabrics more accessible and usable in the fashion industry. The only answer is to create haute couture or one of a kind lines that will be fit a select customer base. At Avni, we really want to explore this as an exclusive collection for customers that value individual freedom of expression. We also hope to move the artisans back to more environmentally friendly methods that were traditionally used such as natural dyes and organic cotton.

Natural Snakeskin?

Check out this wonderful texture created by the talented people at our natural dyeing unit. Its created by using a method of tie dyeing called "rouching". The satin silk fabric is first dyed in the base color of Chukra bheda, which is a leafy green plant that looks a lot like spinach and is used for herbal remedies in Ayurveda. Once the base color is done the fabric is then tied up and dyed in a second color of pomegranate skin. The resulting combination is a wonderful snakeskin like texture that has a natural sheen because of the satin base.

Watch out for this texture in our Fall'11 Warrior Princess collection that is currently under the works.

Jacket with Scarf attached

So this is one of my favorite designs that I happen to wear all the time in the early Fall/late Spring and in San Francisco (if you know how SF's perpetual fall weather feels like). I wanted to give people who follow Avni's journey to let me know what they think about a scarf attached to Jacket concept. My personal opinion is that its different yet warm and comfortable. More for hanging out in the crisp, cool air. I usually wear it when I don't have to take it off.

It's Pomegranate Skin!!

For those who don't know the philosophy of our natural dyes, its all about using waste materials such as onion peel, pomegranate skin, insect secretion or herbs such as Harda, Basil. They actually don't use food that can be consumed, such as beets, or actual insects/animal dyes such as cochineal.

Enjoy one of my all time favorites and most widely used in brand Avni- pomegranate skin.This dye is very versatile and can create grays/blacks and olive green. Enjoy some of our designs featuring this gorgeous dye.