Making fashion more than just eco-friendly

By Puja Gupta

New Delhi, Jan 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) 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.

IANSlife 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. PECKD 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 a PECKD 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, PECKD garments do not add to the toxicity of the soil. A PECKD 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 revolutionize 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 PECKD 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 PECKD garment takes about 7-10 days to be stitched and perfected.

With so many international brands now available in the market at affordable prices, why do you think one would choose PECKD?

PECKD is for every individual who has hesitated to buy a loved fashion piece because they were bothered by the ecological impact of this action on the environment. It is not in the race to sell to the masses. It is exclusively created for the eco-conscious individual. For years, the fashion industry has harmed and marred the planet and fashion lovers have unintentionally contributed to this destruction. PECKD is penance.

How tough is the competition for you?

It is the first of its kind fashion label that is willing to create something that is compostable from fabric to thread. As more and bigger brands latch on to this concept, the competition will rise. Competing would be a happy price to pay in the larger interest of the good it will do to our ecosystem.

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

(Puja Gupta can be contacted at puja.g@ians.in)

Source: IANS