Ecokaari- upcycling story

by Surbhi Kamra
October 19, 2022
2 min read

by Surbhi Kamra
October 19, 2022
2 min read

EcoKaari is a social enterprise born from an ardent desire of the team to create a community where bottom-up development is the key to achieving better living for all beings in a sustainable way.‘Eco’ means Eco-friendly, and ‘Kaari’ means Kaarigar (Artisan). Name represents the relationship between the Artisans and Environment, and they both are interconnected and interdependent. India’s handicraft heritage has continually drawn inspiration from the environment, and Mother Earth has always been an integral part of our lives. Traditionally, our craft techniques have always believed in upcycling, material optimisation, and waste minimisation for many millennia ago.

EcoKaari upcycles waste plastic into beautiful handcrafted fabrics using Charkha (spindle) and Handloom. These fabrics are handwovev by women and youth who belong to humble backgrounds. We aim to innovate and present sustainable alternatives by pairing traditional Indian crafts with our upcycled-handwoven fabrics with contemporary designs.

When we handcraft our eko products, we do so in a way that cares and respects the values of our people, our planet and our communities.

3 Pillars of sustainable development are:-

1. Our Planet: Climate change and its effects continue to be one of our generation's most significant challenges. Ethical and sustainable practices are a responsibility we take seriously at EcoKaari.

We procure waste plastic from the organisation that collects waste on a large scale and from conscious consumers who donate their household waste plastic. In addition, if we receive any plastic donation that we cannot use, it is donated to another organisation that turns plastic into fuel.

We use biodegradable cleaner to clean our plastic, and the water usage is managed carefully so that no wastage occurs.

Wastage of EcoKaari's Upcycled-Handcrafted fabric is either repurposed in other products or is donated to another organisation that turns plastic into fuel.

Wastage of cotton fabric, which is used as the inside lining of the products, is repurposed by stitching them together to create sustainable packaging for parcels.

'Closing the loop' philosophy is essential to us. We increase the product's life cycle by repairing the products (free of cost - lifetime). We also take back the products from consumers once it's at the end of their lifecycle to repurpose them or responsibly dispose of them.

2. Our People: EcoKaari's team is an amalgamation of untold stories, backgrounds and perspectives; everyone plays an integral part in creating the organisation we believe in and want to belong to! We are devoted to empowering people and communities and focus on improving their mental well-being and expanding their access to economic opportunities to become self-reliant.

3. Our Communities: We are committed to giving back to the communities where our weavers and artisans live and work to bring a meaningful positive change through our empowerment programs. Our Mission is to encourage individuals from less privileged backgrounds to learn and acquire new skills, giving them the opportunity to earn by their initiative. It's time we connect back with our roots and create a larger canvas for all the beautiful and supreme creativity that our artisans of India have for generations.

we want you to love and use Ecokaari products not because they fit your lifestyle but because they fit your values!