Highlights

I don´t know exactly when my fascination with the madras check began but it definitely goes back to my childhood. That humble check Lungi wrapped around the legs of most men in what seemed like infinite ways was a common sight to see all around india specially in the south. I loved the colours that seemed to acquire an incredible patina the older they got and the combinations of hues and patterns seemed endless. I have been going to Madras for over 2 decades now and the two things I look forward to, besides getting to see everyone are, the breakfast thali and the flowers. Every woman seems to wear flowers in her hair. The sultry sea breeze that carries with it the intoxicating smell of jasmine casts a spell that is hard to shake. I am indeed hooked and keep going back for more.

In 2010 when we started working on the IOU Project we came up with the hashtag #whomadeyourclothes as we wanted to prod the consumer out of slumber with this question. For us sustainability was intrinsically related to treating the people in the supply chain right. Lack of transparency was a major cause of most human rights and environmental violations. We felt that we human beings react and empathise quicker with other humans than just cold data. It´s hard to wrap your head around figures and ratings but it´s easy to relate to the individuals. We found that most traditional artisans were very aware of their environmental impact as they lived in the very communities they work in and would suffer the consequences, not like most decision makers in big fashion companies who are too far away to care.

The trip to the Outer Hebrides feels like a journey to Rivendell. These isles are the far north west of Scotland and to get to them used every conceivable means of transportation including a ferry. The trip is one of breathtaking beauty and when you finally get to these tree less windswept landscape of golden low rise hills and the some of the most azure ocean i have seen. I was cheekily told in a charming Gaelic accent that many a tropical island tourism brochures are shot here, as there is not a soul on those majestic beaches. The flinchin weather might have something to do with this. I instantly fell in love with this place and its warm people. It makes sense that the famous Harris tweed comes from a mythical island and if you cannot go there you should feast your eyes on Ian Lawson¨s book which truly captures its beauty. www.ianlawson.com

As most Indians I grew up with the inspirational story of Mahatma Gandhi and our unique struggle for freedom. Today 50 years after Gandhi´s death many an attempt has been made to malign his image but the truth is that he was a man with a vision. His AHIMSA struggle was not just about materialistic freedom but a spiritual awakening which holds against the test of time. I was given his autobiography The story of my experiments with truth when i was younger and i re read it just before i started working on the IOU Project. He was a source of inspiration and he elevated hand spinning and hand weaving to an ideology for self reliance and self governance and in a country where manual labour was looked down upon he turned it into an act of dignity and defiance which saved the heritage textile craft skills of India and gives it a real edge over China.

Indigo is a pretty common colour today so its hard to imagine that it was a rare commodity and was so hard to come by that only royalty could afford it. It is one of the oldest colours that our ancestors extracted from the plant Indigofera Tinctoria in India , East asia, Egypt and probably even the mayans. The European around the 12th century after unsuccessfully trying to grow the tropical plant extracted a similar colour from Woad, the Isatis Tinctoria plant. In the 1860´s a German chemist developed synthetic indigo and the rest is history. The truth about indigo is complex and it is hard to verify as most things sold as natural dye are not true to the organic indigo process which is time consuming and needs a lot of practice.

So where are you from ? That is probably the most common question i get asked and it does not have a straightforward answer. What do you do ? is another tricky one for juggler like me. I was never good at elevator pitches, you see, I am a story teller and I can always meander off to a interesting anecdote. Also if you don´t have time no worries, come back when you are bored, I´ll still be around with my 100 year plan. So here I tried to put together some random facts that might give you a glimpse into my chaotic but happy head where many tabs are open but all roads lead to Rome. One day when I grow up I want to be a poet and a gardener.