Slow fashion on fast track
NEW DELHI: Nothing should go waste. Not even waste. With that thought, Meenakshi Sharma founded Use Me, a brand that utilises every bit of rag it can lay its hands on and upcycles it into products of value. Close to 200 kgs of waste gets a face-lift every month, all with the help of close to 20 women who, in their own way, are emancipating themselves from the limited lives they’ve led. They’re finally moving out of their homes in Chattarpur’s Andheria More, to look at ways of making themselves self-reliant. It’s a journey of becoming something significant from nothing.
That resonates with the work they do too. Turning scrap into style. The idea of using their skills to craft a product that is socially responsible and economically viable, has given them confidence and money.
Most of these women have no work experience or exposure. In fact, when initially, Sharma urged them to work, they give her the cold shoulder. “Look at them now. It fills me with pride to see how well they’ve acquired a sense of power. They save, support their families financially, have opened bank accounts, have learnt to shop online, buy phones etc.,” says Sharma.
Use Me started as Sharma’s dissertation project in the final year of Fashion Merchandising and Production at Pearl Academy of Fashion. “I remember being an upcycling junkie since I was little. I got an adrenaline rush creating something out of nothing. The best part was using my hands to create something valuable,” she says. The women she works with live stone throws away from her workshop. One shout and they’re all down to work. “It’s a major employer benefit,” she jokes. Together, they collect scraps from factories, boutiques and homes, and turn them into bags, accessories, rugs, packaging and home décor. They purchase these for Rs 10-50 per kg, and sometimes, even for free. Making the products quirky and conceptual is their primary effort, Sharma tell us. “It’s important to break the notion of upcycled products being unimaginative. We consider our efforts successful if the buyer doesn’t recognise the materials used,” she says.
Mostly fabric scraps are used. One could also give rags of their own to get a lifestyle products made on order. For instance, changing an old denim into a bag, an old saree into a rug; broken window into an interesting wood sign; repurposing old furniture, cupboards and instruments; using records/CDs and cassettes to create pouches and clutch bags; crocheting with cassette tapes; making fringe and flag buntings for décor; and dreamcatchers out of long cloth rags. Everything is customized to suit individual preferences. “Zero Waste Décor is another idea Use Me actively works on. We encourage people to opt for eco-friendly and reusable décor for their events, work spaces and homes. We help people change their old discards to do that,” says the entrepreneur.
India has been on an over-consumption spree where production and supply of clothes is concerned. The trend of fast fashion has slowed the country’s ecological evolution manifold. But with increasing green design practices by individuals like Sharma, who upcycles around 200 kgs of waste per month, slow fashion will get a chance at speeding things up for environmental upgradation. Small step towards waste management will keep us away from contamination and vermin. “Upcyclers are what this world needs now. Conscious consumerism is the go-to idea. From zero waste fashion to zero waste living, my life has completely changed. Has yours?,” says Sharma.