Cool Because…
Founder, Doodlage – a fashion brand that upcycles fabric waste from factories into short, contemporary collections.
Who?
Kriti Tula.
The Story
Formally trained in fashion design and design management, from the Pearl Academy and London College of Fashion, Kriti was first inspired to work creatively with fabric waste during an internship at a big export house.
The fact that the factory was rejecting large amounts of fabric due to minor differences and defects in design pattern, color, and weaves made her wonder if there is a way to put this fabric to better use.
What followed was a few years of working in the industry, post which she founded Doodlage. The brand creates its collections from end-of-the-line fabric, defective fabrics, cut pieces, and post- stitching scrap from large manufacturing units. In line with its zero-waste philosophy, Doodlage also uses the waste fabric generated during its production to create textures for bag and home collections. Each piece thus carries with it a story of sustainability and innovation.
Why Should You Care?
Garment manufacturing is a long, tedious, and in most cases wasteful process. A recent whitepaper by Reverse Resource suggests that waste from garment factories (post-cutting waste, stitching waste, defective fabrics, misprints, and end-of-the-line fabrics) could account for over 25% of the total fabric consumption. Most factories either resell these to traders or recycling units who turn it into low-value products like mops and blankets. However, in some cases this waste is incinerated or thrown away, filling our landfills. Imagine the kind of waste this generates in factories producing thousands of pieces every month. By repurposing this waste to make new clothes, Doodlage is not only conserving resources, but is also creating high-value products and giving consumers a viable, quirky, zero-waste alternative to mainstream fashion.
SUSSitout
We caught up with Kriti on what inspires her and more!
What does sustainable fashion mean to you?
To stop and think about how you produce and consume fashion.
What do you think is the biggest hindrance to the sustainable fashion movement?
The fact that there is lack of awareness on the consumers' end.
Can you talk about some of the challenges you face in your work?
We battle many challenges everyday. Working out the math behind every garment, for example, figuring out how many panels would be needed to make a single dress; ensuring zero-waste production; finding new ways of creating consumer awareness; organizing this alternate supply chain of fabric waste; growing our funds; being able to reach a point of offering living wages to our craftsmen and not just minimum wages.
What is that one item in your wardrobe that inspires you to lead a more conscious lifestyle?
My first up-cycled jacket (made out of my dad’s trousers) -- it reminds me to stick to the ethics of the brand we started.
The Elevator Pitch
Formally trained in fashion design, Kriti was first inspired to work creatively with fabric waste during an internship at a big export house.
As the founder of Doodlage, a brand that converts fabric waste scraps from factories into unique, quirky collections, she's giving consumers a viable zero-waste alternative to mainstream brands.
Follow Doodlage for more updates
P.S. - They recently started a campaign called "The So Susheel Campaign" as part of their festive drop. Send 'em your old saris and they'll turn it into unique pieces like trench coats and dresses!
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