Neerg in ‘And Persand’ Magazine

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.