The journey of No Nasties
Aesthetic and ethical fashion is what No Nasties aims to offer
No Nasties, an organic, Fairtrade certified brand, is among the first fashion labels of its kind that brings an ethical twist to the current style.
With the dark side of mass production of clothes and other consumer commodities taking a toll on the environment as well as the labour force involved in its creation, alternative means of production and sourcing are the need of the hour. As we slowly witness organic, Fairtrade, ethical and such buzzwords making to the fashion industry worldwide, the movement in India has been slow so far. No Nasties, India’s first Fairtrade clothes brand, launched in 2011 is, in its own way, building a space for ethical fashion, with an expanding network.
Initially launched as a T-shirt brand by Apurva Kothari, who was later joined by his wife, this idea of the brand came about when he was based in the US, and the astonishing rate of farmer suicides in India led him to further delve into making an impact on the situation of farmers in India. “We design sustainable and attractive clothes that are made with an artistic eye. The entire supply-chain is based on ethical standards as we are Fairtrade certified. However, the journey hasn’t been easy,” says Kothari.
He adds “The setting up was definitely the hardest part because following the entire cotton trail from seed to the factory to ensure it was produced sustainably, with standards to be met on all levels was a challenge as India lacks a large Fairtrade movement.”
However, No Nasties, which has seen several photography campaigns and popular designs growing with every passing season, recently launched a kidswear section as well. The response is quite positive, to say the least. “We now engage in several artistic and other B2B collaborations with people from countries such as Norway and Japan, because of the network we have links with actors involved in ethical production in India.” When asked what has been the most popular collection so far, Kothari shared, “I think almost all our works have been met with a lot of enthusiasm.”
Check out @nonasties stripy and fun #nona kidsware collection just launched this week, with more to come! https://t.co/sceEvycCuE pic.twitter.com/mxnzR1xdcr
— EthicalFashion Forum (@EthicalFashionF) September 14, 2017
No Nasties also offers menswear
Beyond fashion
Often, as consumers, we tend to ignore or gloss over the making and the origin of a fabric that constitutes our dress. Besides the aesthetic of a fabric, making a conscious choice in clothing may not be a popular concept but it is beginning to take shape. “I think India is ready for organic clothing in a big way, but the impact can go beyond ethical fashion if it picks up. No Nasties has been working on a project involving a community of 5,000 women to sustain on a reliable income with time, this is a not-for-profit-project that goes by the name of ‘Once Upon A Doug’. It is an interesting way in which we hope to make an impact. ”
As No Nasties currently operates as an e-commerce fashion brand with a physical presence only in the state of Goa, Kothari leaves the space for further expansion in the future open. He shares, “We are excited about a pop-up store at the end of this year in Goa, and hope to find our space eventually.”
