KOCHI: The fashion industry is in the middle of an eco-renaissance as the brands have been slowly retreating from the fast-fashion towards sustainable clothing. However, options available for kids remain limited. Rathu Krishna, a 29-year old entrepreneur is bringing out comfy festive wear for kids in handloom cotton through her Instagram-based brand Mirali.
“Usually, kids’ festive wear come out in satin, silk, polyester or raw cotton. These are likely to make them uncomfortable, as they aren’t skin-friendly materials. Kids may even feel itchy and form rashes. Mirali focuses on festive wears made out of pure handloom cotton procured from the Balaramapuram, to give children safe, breathable and cosy fashion,” says Rathu.
Balaramapuram weaving community is known for their traditional handloom saris. Mirali clothing gives a modern twist to traditional handloom. Their outfits for girls include frocks in different patterns, crop top with pants and long/short skirts. For the boys, there are kurtas, mundu, dhoti, and dhoti pants.
“Kids need to wear and understand sustainable clothing. Many parents aren’t aware of the advantages of letting children wear handloom cotton outfits,” adds Rathu.
Mirali offers handloom cotton festive collections exclusively for kids aged between 0 to 3. “But we do make clothes for kids up to the age of 10, according to the customer’s preference,” says Rathu.
Aiding the weaversHandloom was once an integral part of Indian textiles, over time with the emergence of many textile industries, handloom artisans and weavers were left behind. Mirali procures the soft, skin-friendly material from these weavers. “Though the community has several cooperative societies, there has been little progress,” says Rathu.