An average customer knows mainly two things about Eco-fashion: one, it’s ‘better‘ and ‘environment-friendly‘ and two, it’s expensive. True that. Eco-fashion being relatively expensive comes as a surprise to those who think it is made out of plants and plants are everywhere. Sometimes that becomes a major reason behind dismissing the purchase of the green garment. However, the green garments maybe expensive, they are definitely not overpriced.

A little mathematics and economics is needed to understand the cost-factor.

There is a separate section for Organic Foods in the supermarket, probably one block or isle out of the hundred other isles or at least 10 other isles for non-organic food. For sure you must have noticed that the foods in that section cost more than your ‘regular’ foodstuffs. Likewise, for clothes. Contemporary to organic food, organic clothing too is costlier than regular clothing. Why? Well, because it’s organic!

Eco-fashion steers clear from the usage of harmful pollutants like the commonly used fertilizers and pesticides. The use of these chemicals is so widespread that constructing a green garment is like making a clam soup in a cake shop. It is a separate process that requires separate procedures and the regular clothing industry is not necessarily designed to accommodate the green garment production as easily yet. Hence, the cost. Just like the ’special care’ environment needed in the construction of the green garment, a ’special care environment’ and ’special treatment’ are needed in bringing these products out to the consumer.

Since the green garment is a non-conformist to the average clothing manufacturing, the overall cost of production is bound to be greater. And yet, eco-fashion is not the most expensive item in the universe. It can only be called “Value for money” because of the longevity it offers, both to the garment and to the environment.

These almost hand-made green goodies are not mass-produced in millions to be shipped over to five continents. These products are more meticulously made and hence, in lesser quantities, which, ironically, raises the costs. To simply understand, it’s like going to a wholesaler and buying twenty items for cheap; rather than going to the mega-store and paying more for it individually.

These and many intricate production and marketing costs fall heavy on the price tag of the green garment; but then again we all shell out that kind of money to buy our Pradas anyway.

The encouraging fact is that eco-friendly is a wiser option at the same price as a regularly made garment from another global brand!

In the long run, these garments definitely supercede the regular clothing, simply because organic clothing is to your environment what organic food is to your body–healthy.

Neerg is featured in Andpersand magazine’s July ‘10 issue. Many thanks to Ms. Purva Grover.

The article~

Stop, think and question. Designer Neerja Lakhani and Varun Pratap urge fashionistas to stop for a while and question.

Before you slip into a glam gown or a chic pair of shorts, they want you to run through a checklist of questions:what is your outfit made of? Is the fabric certified organic? Does the manufacturing unit adhere to labor laws? And more.

They believe the answers to these questions will be enough to prick your conscience , just like it did theirs. “Being a part of the fashion industry we witnessed the large amount of water, air and soil pollution it entailed. We researched only to come across more horrid facts,” says Neerja, adding, “Many designers think that just because they use natural fibers it will not have any adverse impact on the planet. But actually they are doing colossal harm. Cotton is one of the biggest culprits as it is the second most pesticide-laden crop in the world. It accounts for 16% of the world’s pesticide usage and there are around 10,000 deaths every year due to conventional cotton agriculture, mostly from pesticide poisoning.” Needless to say, their organic brand of clothing, Neerg, which signifies return to nature, is a result of their confrontation with these facts. Their outfits are crafted after a research of all the raw materials, which includes 100% certified organic cotton and bamboo. “You will not find even a button, tagging or packaging material in plastic on a Neerg product,” says Varun. “We create comfortable and eay-to-wear outfits. They’re classics with a twist, ones that you can actually live in,” chips in Neerja.

The duo has also joined hands with an NGO working on organic farming and rural women empowerment.

But do they think this is enough to motivate a fashionista to spend a bomb for an organic dress over a relatively lower priced non-organic one? Yes and no. “One can adapt eco fashion by adding just one organic clothing piece to their wardrobe at a time. yes, it is a bit premiumly priced segment at present, but the scenario will change as soon as the demand for environment friendly products is now increasing,” says Varun. Well, so is green fashion the ‘in’ trend to follow? Does it have real takers, we wonder. Varun’s belief in the ‘fad’ says it has. “Green fashion has come a long way from being ‘hippie-ish’ to urban chic. Today, it is the smart and aware person’s choice. Anyone who is sensitive to his environment has welcomed this trend.” So, it is here to stay, we rest our case. “Also, it will trigger a bigger green revolution,” feels Neerja. She adds, “Wearing eco fashion is just one part of the concept. Once you start wearing organic, you try to do other things as well for the planet.”

They leave us with their green mantra: It’s said that you wear what you are, but we say, you become what you wear. The choice is yours.

Ist floor, Camps Corner II; Opposite Prahladnagar garden; Ahmedabad.

We are excited to announce that Neerg is now available at ‘Apple Blossom‘. The eclectic store carries chic women’s apparel and accessories.

The store’s interiors are bright & welcoming and you’re bound to find something you will like. Go, check it out for yourself.

A sneak-peak of Neerg’s SS 2010 photo-shoot! For press kits & wholesale inquiries, contact info@neergorganic.com

What would go better with organic cotton clothes than eco-friendly/vegan shoes? The gorgeous heels you see in the shoot are by “Green Seal” awardee~ NeuAura shoes!

NeuAura Vegan shoes are superb! Because:

• * They DO NOT CONTAIN ANY leather, fur, silk, wool, shell, or pearls.
  NO animal by-products are used in the manufacturing &/or finishing processes.
• * They reduce the strain on the planet of over-farming for the animal industry.
• * Recycling and disposing of all the material waste generated from the factory is done at
  a recycling facility located in the vicinity.
• * They use water-based adhesives and less toxic solvents and chemicals that are
  safer for the environment.
• * They do all this in a very stylish way!

The winners of our last giveaway, Julia & Liz, looking gorgeous in their Neerg t-shirts !  Woot!

Hello friends! Here we start another Tuesday poll and share a bit of our day-to-day lives

Please copy and paste the poll below and leave as a comment!

* How are you feeling?
Upbeat.  Planning for the next Neerg shoot and the preparations are swell

* Are you a (confessed) shopaholic?
Though in the fashion business (which gives a notion, i should be a shopaholic to the core), I am not addicted. I usually buy clothes/other stuff only when needed. Ok, i do go on ‘therapy shopping’ but only once in a while.

* Do you buy eco-friendly clothes/other products?
Clothes~ You bet, i make them !

* Do you tweet? How much?
Yes yes, @Neergorganic ! A  grading site tells me- 15 tweets a day on average.

*What’s the next movie you’d want to watch?
Coco Avant Chanel!

So lets do it! Just copy and paste and get going:

* How are you feeling?

* Are you a (confessed) shopaholic?

* Do you buy eco-friendly clothes/other products?

* Do you tweet? How much?

* What’s the next movie you’d want to watch?

Much thanks to all of @Neergorganic’s twitter-friends for entering! The randomly chosen winners are:

The first winner~ Liz Pata @LizPata

And the second winner~ Julia Johnsen @easyecotogo

Congratulations tweeple

Please mail us your addresses at info@neergorganic.com so that we can ship your 100% organic cotton, fair-traded Neerg t-shirt! Yaay!

Here we go again. Another Tuesday, yet another poll

Please copy and paste the poll below and leave as a comment!

* Mood~
Thankful! Feeling gratitude for the great response on twitter for our give-away!

* A yummy thing you ate last week?
Shanghai cottage cheese at this new restaurant i wanted to try ever since they opened up and it was totally worth it!

* What sort of clothes you don’t like or aren’t comfortable wearing?
I avoid anything too tight or ill-fitting

* Your all time favourite movie?
Madagaskar- Escape 2 Africa

* What are the ways you save paper? (If you don’t already, can you try these?)
1. Print something only when it is extremely essential
2. Use the other side of the A4 sheets too, ones that i do print
3. I cut out receiving paper copies of my bank account statements, phone bill summaries, etc. I view them online
4. Cut old envelopes up, (remove the address part of course) into small rectangles & use them as post-its!

So lets do it! Just copy and paste and get going:

* Mood~
* A yummy thing you ate last week?
* What sort of clothes you don’t like or aren’t comfortable wearing?
* Your all time favourite movie?
* What are the ways you save paper? (If you don’t already, can you try these?)

Its been four months that Neerg has been tweeting and we’ve received a great response so far! Over 1320 followers and some great green people to connect with! Henceforth, we have decided to offer two free 100% organic cotton t-shirts from neergorganic.com to give back  the love received!

If you haven’t checked out the shirt collection already, you can do so here.

The t-shirt reads ” Wearing this tee may be injurious to your carbon footprint)

You win t-shirts in your chosen size (Do check your size here)

Continue reading to find out how you can enter and win!

WAYS TO ENTER:

• * Tweet about this post on Twitter (Add the hashtag #neergorganic after the tweet)

• * Tweet about your favorite post on the Neerg blog  (Add the hashtag #neergorganic after the tweet)

(Why the hashtag (#)? Because that’s how we will know who enters the give-away!)

WHEN DO WE ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS?

The winners will be selected randomly. So enter as many times as you want!

The names will be announced on EcoMonday, August 3rd and we’ll notify them through Direct Message on Twitter so make sure you are following me.

So tweet away!

We at Neerg believe in organic, sustainable clothing, living green and fair trade. But we also believe in getting to know the people for whom we make these beautiful eco clothing. And most importantly we believe in having fun along the way!

So here we go- beginning today, lets do a Tuesday poll!

Please copy and paste the poll below and leave as a comment!

• How are you feeling today?
• Happy, Started my day with ginger chai (tea) and smiles.

• What are you wearing right now?
• A purple Neerg shirt, beige khakis and white sandals.

• Where are you and where would you rather be?
• I am at my studio right now in Ahmedabad and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, pretty excited about the new dress that we’re making today.

• Your all time happy song?
• “Clint Eastwood” by Gorillaz

• What book/s are you reading?
• ‘Ask and it is given’ by Esther and Jerry Hicks

• Do you have pets at home?
• Yes,  a 1 year old labrador called Cherry
  

So what are you waiting for? Just copy and paste and get started:

• How are you feeling today?
• What are you wearing right now?
• Where are you and where would you rather be?
• Your all time happy song?
• What book/s are you reading?
• Do you have pets at home?