About
From the Founder
EKAJA was founded in 2020 amidst the pandemic - "The best out of the worst ".
Not knowing what the future holds , most of us went back to our hometown ( in my case : Siliguri, West Bengal ) with that one little suitcase, expecting that we'll come back after 10 days - back to college ( Mumbai ) , back to the normal life. Things didn't go as planned. We had the same 4 pairs of clothes and tried our level best to mix and match with the available. That's when, as you say "the millennial" thanked the "expensive" piece of jeans that she'd invested in, rather than the 'one-time' pair of jeggings bought in 3 different colours from the streets, for a deal and the concept of " buy better, buy less " came into picture.
EKAJA is a story of - transformation of beliefs, gaining knowledge and getting to know one's traditional roots and contributing to the environment by joining the slow fashion movement.
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At Ekaja, we strive for quality and longevity. We believe in handmade products that support collaborative and sustainable design. We deeply respect the traditional work techniques of artisans and the time it takes them to make each product by hand. We believe in using technology to do good, and are committed to strengthening ancient craft techniques. We love using our brand to tell meaningful stories that help keep traditions alive.
Textiles
For the most part, our fabrics comprise of Kala cotton, handspun handwoven cotton, recycled cotton, hemp and nettle. Our fabrics are dyed with AZO free dyes and natural dyes. For textiles that are part of our "KHOJ" collection, the textiles are mentioned in the product description.
Practices
We believe in moving away from industrial manufacturing processes.Producing in small batches ensures waste control. Extra fabrics from the stitching process are sent to brands/individuals who upcycle and repurpose leftover fabrics. We encourage sourcing from individuals that practice fair trade. Producing in an ethical environment and ensuring that our artisans, weavers and dyers are paid fairly is a bare minimum requirement provided at Ekaja.