In our households, the life of a garment rarely ends even when it is worn out. An old cotton sari would often find its way into the kitchen as a cleaning fabric, while other patches of clothes are stitched together to make quilts, curtains, or even cushion covers. Repurposing fabric, in many ways, was an everyday practice long before sustainability became a buzzword.
Come the 2010s, however, this domestic practice began taking a commercial turn. Old saris belonging to mothers and grandmothers were being reimagined as frocks, lehengas, kurtas, and contemporary ensembles. By 2017, the trend found a niche footing in Chennai, with boutiques and designers exploring ways to turn pre-owned fabric, particularly silk, into wearable pieces.
Today, the idea has moved beyond fashionable clothing choices. Old saris are finding their way into fabric journals, table runners, pouches, backpacks, baby blankets, and a range of other products. While some customers want to retain the original character of the fabric, others are keen to experiment with silhouettes and designs that they may not have otherwise considered, thanks to this upcycling trend. CE speaks to three Chennai-based businesses that are giving old fabrics a new lease of life.
Memories at every stitch
For the founder of Sushdeva Studio, Pushpa Devariya Balu, the inspiration for sari upcycling came from home. Recalling her mother, who wore silk saris regularly, she says, “Even the apron she wore was made out of one of her silk saris.” She adds that the availability of advanced resources today makes repurposing an easier way out and “we should learn to use what we already have.”
Having established the studio in 2019, Pushpa and her team work with different kinds of fabric and offer customised designs. From mother-daughter matching outfits and kurtas to skirts, lehengas, and Indo-Western ensembles, the possibilities depend largely on the fabric available and the customers’ requirements. Even the leftover fabric from stitching is put to use, with smaller scraps turned into scrunchies and other accessories.
However, not every old sari is suitable for a makeover. The first step, she explains, is to check the strength of the fabric. The team tests the material, particularly around the borders, to see whether it can withstand stitching and wear. If the fabric is too weak, customers are advised against spending money on the conversion. Sometimes, additional fabric is required to achieve a particular design, especially in the case of lehengas. In such cases, the studio incorporates complementary material through patchwork, ensuring that the final piece looks cohesive.
Fabric-led fashion
At the other end of the city, Thiyas Boutique, run by Nithya Priya, prefers to retain the originality of the sari wherever possible. She says matching new material with an older fabric can be difficult, particularly when there are differences in colour, shine, and weaving. She therefore suggests ready-made additions such as pants or dupattas when customers want to complete an ensemble without increasing the cost of customisation.
Nithya, who has been in the business for two years, approaches upcycling largely as customer-led, just like most outlets. Some want their grandmother’s sari transformed into an outfit for their granddaughter, while others prefer to give traditional silk a contemporary twist through corset-style outfits and blazers, keeping up with emerging trends.
The process, she points out, is considerably more demanding than stitching a garment from new fabric. The original borders, motifs, and designs need to be carefully positioned to retain their visual appeal. “It takes a lot of time and passion to make a dress from an old sari. The quality of the fabric can sometimes tear when you cut it in a particular direction. It is really challenging,” she explains.
Scaling up
Another challenge in remodelling a sari into modern silhouettes is skepticism. At Anjaz Studio, Sangeetha Maruthapandian digitally sketches the reimagined outfits for customers’ understanding. “With AI and ChatGPT coming in, it has helped us create a look and show options to the customers that would suit their body type,” she says.
After confirming the outfit, Sangeetha sits with the client and studies the quality of the yarn to see if it can be reused. If not, then those bits of fabric are made into rubber bands, photo frames, tablecloths, etc.
Sangeetha sees this upcycling as a way of generating less fashion industry waste. “When you upcycle any fabric, a lineage is going to survive, and you also save a small amount of waste that goes into the landfill, and in a way contribute to sustainability. One should always consider sustainable fashion over fast fashion,” she concludes.
As Chennai’s upcycling businesses continue to experiment with old textiles, the idea of giving a garment another life is taking on newer forms. What was once an instinctive household practice is now being approached as a business opportunity. And if you are unclear as to what to wear for the year-end parties, raid your sari closet, and you may find your outfit there!
7,073 kilotonnes of textile waste
A February 2026 Ministry of Textiles report estimates that India generates 7,073 kilotonnes of textile waste annually, of which 4,100 kilotonnes (58%) is post-consumer waste.