Making fashion more than just eco-friendly

Do you know that a simple zipper of your dress made of nylon or polyester may take up to 40- 200 years to decompose?

Fashion brand PECKD does not use synthetics like polyester and nylons and each of its garments are made of 100 percent compostable fabric, threads and buttons which decomposes in 180 days when buried in moist soil.

We spoke to Hitesha Deshpande, founder and Himanshu Kulhari, co-founder of PECKD, claimed to be first-of-its kind in India, to know more about the brand, the process that goes behind creating an outfit and more. Excerpts:

How was PECKD incepted?

PECKD is what happens when normal people like you and me finally wake up and develop a conscience. What was conceptualized to be a fashion label inspired by animals; metamorphosed into an eco-conscious style statement.

It takes an effort to create an ecosystem that is favourable to them and to us. Fashion no longer has to cost the earth, it can instead, rejuvenate it.

What is the brand synonymous to?

It is synonymous with life. It is the first-of-its-kind designer range that is made from fully compostable fabric, buttons and thread. It does not make use of any material that is detrimental to the process of composting. This means that this garment does not contain plastic, metal or rubber, in any form or format. Not even the buttons.

The zippers from your dress made of polyester would take up to 200 years to decompose, while those made from nylon will still take 30-40 years.

We don't use synthetics like polyester and nylons.

Everything used to make a garment decomposes in 180 days when buried in moist soil. Not only that, garments do not add to the toxicity of the soil. The garment will never end up in a landfill and lie there for ages waiting to decompose.

How are you trying to make a difference?

We are trying to revolutionise one of the most loved industries by making it more than just eco-friendly. The fashion industry has been one of the biggest reasons of pollution that has hampered our ecosystem.

Instead of giving up on dressing up and looking good, this is the next best solution. In fact, it is the only solution that makes sure you look good, without contributing to the corrosion of the environment, either directly or indirectly.

Please elaborate the process that goes behind every outfit?

Every garment is crafted with care. It has taken 27 months of research and experiment to create a sensational range of garments that uses compostable thread and buttons.

Beyond the design lies the very challenging task of bringing the design to life. Moulding the fragile fabric into a sturdy dress fit for the power women of today requires layering and hand stitching that takes days to complete each outfit.

On an average, a single garment takes about 7-10 days to be stitched and perfected.

As fashion industry contributes the most to pollution, how do you think a person can create a difference with his/her fashion choice?

Reuse. Recycle. Old can be fashioned into something new. Try it. Invest in the effort brands like PECKD are making to come up with eco-friendly solutions.

We have taken the damage far enough, that being merely sustainable, soon won't be enough. We need to give back what we have ruthlessly taken.

What are you expansion plans?

Currently, it is available exclusively online and ships worldwide. Eventually, we hope to make it more accessible at physical outlets across the globe.