Lara Dutta and Dia Mirza on representing eco-kidswear labels

Dia Mirza

“My ideas about sustainability formed well before I became a mother. But I think I’m a lot more conscious now than ever before,” says actor Dia Mirza, who recently announced a partnership with organic babywear brand Greendigo. One key principle I followed is to accept hand-me-downs. I actually call this process,  paying it forward. A lot of the stuff that Avyaan uses has come from another friend of mine who had a baby much earlier than I did.

Also the brand ambassador, Dia says, “The first thing that really attracted me to the brand is that they have organic certification. It takes a very special kind of resilience to be able to do business in a clean, sustainable manner considering the world that we live in. So I’m very proud of the founders Barkha and Meghna Kishore, and I’m happy that I have the opportunity to empower them and to expand their voice and their reach.”  

(from left) Meghna Kishore, Dia MIrza, and Barkha Bhatnagar
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Sustainable Development Goals Advocate says she has joined the “Greendigo family as a parent first”. “ One of the critical and most important components of sustainability is sustainable consumerism. We must introspect about what kind of products we use and the clothes we wear in our everyday lives. Safe, healthy, natural, good options are few and far between, which is why it’s so important to  support such green businesses so that they become normative and don’t remain an exception,” she says, adding,  “Today as a parent, I feel even more responsible for what I buy for my child. I consume a lot less now than I ever did, and I understand the impact of my child’s consumption and recognise how important it is to help him become a nature defender right from the start.”

As someone who has been vocal about battling climate change issues, what are the five steps she suggests every individual can take towards reducing apparel waste? To begin with, says Dia, we must celebrate the fact that as Indians, we are not traditionally wasteful consumers. “It is the advent of fast fashion that has encouraged this idea of use and throw. India has a culture where most people once upcycled household objects and passed on or gave away the clothes they were done wearing.” In addition, being open to hand-me-downs, and cultivating the practice of engaging and interacting with nature early on is key.

From Greendigo’s catalogue
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Meghna Kishore, co-founder, Greendigo adds, “Barkha and I are aware of the fact that children outgrow their wardrobe every 60-70 days. Though most parents try to give these clothes away, it’s still a wasteful exercise to keep buying new clothes. So, we have launched clothing that is size adjustable. “ We also do a lifecycle analysis, where we measure the impact of Greendigo’s supply chain. On our website, there are these numbers that tell you how much you have saved by buying that garment. For example, how many light bulbs or how much water has been saved.”

Kidswear at ₹600 upwards on greendigo com

Lara Dutta

After skincare and home decor, actor-turned-entrepreneur Lara Dutta has taken the eco-route for her brand Arias’ latest offering: kidswear. Recently launched in collaboration with FirstCry, Arias kids, she says, “strives to design responsible fashion while translating current trends into comfortable, chic, and high-quality products”. With dresses, jumpsuits, and shirts for children aged between 2 and 14, Lara says Arias expanding into the children’s clothing market was a natural step as “the brand name is my daughter’s name, Saira, spelled backwards”. She adds, “All fabrics are carefully chosen, and we prefer 100% natural fibers such as cotton, viscose, flax, among others. We also use biodegradable plastic made of cornstarch, recycled seed paper, coconut and sea-shell buttons as trims.”

Lara Dutta
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Given that the fashion industry has seen the rise of several ‘eco’ kidswear brands over the years, how does she make her offering stand out? “It’s fantastic that so many clothing companies are going the ‘eco’ route. This will eventually allow all of us to educate children and make them conscious in their early years. Arias focuses on producing clothing and accessories that reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry by using natural materials, trims, and eco-friendly packaging.” And, you can help too. There are multiple efforts that can be put into reducing apparel waste, says the Bell Bottom actor. “If possible, invest in eco-conscious, sustainable brands. When you do need to buy new clothes, try to buy items made of long-lasting materials. Instead of throwing out old clothes, get creative. T-shirts can be transformed into rags, masks, or headbands with some design skills. Old sweaters can be recycled into blankets or socks,” she says, adding that many fast fashion fabrics are made with fossil fuels, and must be avoided. 

As for shopping for Saira, Lara says her top tips include choosing breathable fabrics, and avoiding itchy embellishments or finicky buttons. “Get your children involved at a young age in picking out their own clothes, it helps them learn to be conscious about their choices. Help your child develop their individual fashion style, and teach them to donate their old clothes to those less fortunate. Be totally okay to accept hand-me-downs,” says the actor who has just wrapped up Ishq- E- Naadan, a film starring Neena Gupta, Mohit Raina, among others.

Her shopping style has also changed post-motherhood. “Utility and versatility is what I keep in mind. I want to be able to hang on to a garment for a long time and use it over the years in multiple ways. I like investing in pieces now that I can pass them down to my daughter,” concludes Lara who will soon begin shooting for the second season of Hiccups & Hookups. 

Arias Kids is priced at ₹ 899 upwards on firstcry.com