Padma PeguThe Summer House
For all seasons, sustainably speaking
Who is making the clothes?
We have a team of 13 people including our tailors, cutting master, pattern master and ironing and packing experts. Our studio is located in Jayanagar, an old residential area of Bengaluru. There are lots of old houses with beautiful gardens around here. The streets are lined with trees, so it’s always nice to go out for a walk any time you want to clear your head.
The studio space has a lot of light. In fact, the space is so well-lit with natural sunshine that we have had to screen the windows on one side since the tailors require gentler light.
Life-cycle of products and how environmental concerns are addressed in these
It usually takes about 9 months from the time that we start designing a collection to when it comes to life. It takes the longest time when it’s handcrafted or handmade.
Along the way, there is lots that we do to reduce carbon footprint. For example, when we are making the design we make sure that it’s timeless and flattering so that it can be worn by an individual for a much longer time. The longer you wear it, the less your carbon footprint is.
We source from GOTS-certified cotton factories and/or directly from weavers. We make sure that the environmental damage is minimum in the way that the fabric is made. The yarn or fabric is dyed in an environment where the wastewater is recycled.
Then, our production happens in our own studio, in the deft hands of our own senior tailors, and not in a sweatshop. It’s sustainable not just in terms of labour health but also in terms of energy usage. The quality of production and finish is fantastic, which means that it will not tear off at the seams easily. The garment will last much longer than usual. In fact, we still wear the clothes that were made four to five years ago and they still look brand-new.
Challenges in scaling up sustainable fashion
The challenges of scaling up sustainable fashion are the same as those for any business. It’s of course not possible to scale up a sustainable fashion business like a fast-fashion business because the prices cannot be matched. The whole point of sustainable fashion is that the right thing is done at every step of the way, and doing the right thing costs money.
Shivangini Padhiyar and Rekha Datla, founders, The Summer House
Among the things we can do to scale up sustainable fashion is to build awareness. The more people know, the more they understand that they have an option. The fact is that it’s still a very small community of people across the world that speak about it and actually adhere to it. Second, more brands need to make it available and a lot of brands are doing that, which means we are moving in the right direction. The easiest and fastest way to do it is for big companies to completely become ethical and sustainable in their manufacturing and sourcing. The moment they come fully into this cycle, there will be an increase in demand for the product and as a result the cost of the raw material will go down. Hence, the moment they adopt this into their system, not as a collection but as a ‘this is the only way to function’ kind of way, scaling up will become much easier.
Things consumers should keep in mind
- Ask questions. Where is this garment made? Check if human rights were adhered to in their making. What fabric has been used and what is the process involved? This informs you about the environmental impact of the garment.
- Why is this garment cheap? Make sure it’s not because of cheap, inhumane labour practices or bad environmental practices.
- Don’t buy what you don’t need.
- Buy sustainably made garments.
- Use the garments you have in your closet for longer, by caring for them and repairing them rather than discarding them at the slightest wear and tear. This way you will need to buy less clothes.
- Donate the clothes you don’t need instead of throwing them, so they continue to be used.
- Buy secondhand/vintage.
The short-term plan is to increase our community reach organically, to around 100,000. Our plan is in terms of reach rather than revenue – while they are interrelated, as a brand we want to build up a community that believes in sustainability.
As for long-term plans, there are quite a few in the pipeline. The one thing that we want to do over time is have a much larger global presence.
Womenswear: Dresses, tops, jackets, skirts, pants, nightwear, swimwear
Homeware: Trays, bowls
Where available: https://thesummerhouse.in
Also on online marketplaces like Tata Cliq
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