An introduction to natural dyes played a major role in kick starting our voyage into slow fashion. Over time, it has helped us realize that there are eco-friendly alternatives to save the environment and be conscious as a producer of garments - like using organic, plant-based dyes instead of chemically-loaded artificial colors’
Our colours are of the earth, from the earth. Did you know Pomegranate rinds can yield warm shades of soft yellows to green-yellows when used as a dye? Their high tannin-content particularly makes them ideal for working with cotton. It takes about six rounds to achieve the "anar orange" shade from pomegranate skins. Most of our dyes are made with organic food and flower waste that our artisans collect to create a shade. It feels magical to witness the process of humbly borrowing colours from nature and having them transposed on our unique Shibui creations.
With high artisanship, while following sustainable practices to produce clothing for a slow life, we intend to support ethical fashion that comes full circle by revoking the missing moral fiber through our zero-waste program. It aims to reduce wastage by way of reusing and recycling.
Our process of creating a garment from start to finish goes through various hands over a period of time. We don't want our workers to be invisible in this reformative pursuit. We see the entire process as a rhythmic confluence of different cultures and sensibilities which converge at Shibui to make conscious fashion possible for us in the most noble way. The first step in design entails deciding the weave, the yarn, the threads and discussing it over with our artisans community in Gujarat, Bhopal and Kolkata. Our conscientious team of skilled craftsmen then produce the fabric to be used in designing clothing with a purpose.
When starting Shibui, We vowed to only work with fabrics that are cruelty-free and safe for the environment. Therefore, we only work with handcrafted fabrics, made by local artisan groups that make use of plant-based dyes only. We have worked with sustainable fabrics like 100% organic cotton, handwoven Khadi and are currently venturing into Tencel.
