Neerg is available in Mumbai

Flat No. 180, Aram Nagar 1, Fisheries University Road, 7 Bungalows, Versova, Andehri West, Mumbai (ph. 022 26332111, 32095929

Line dry for fresh, sun-kissed clothes

Mysterious patterns of fabric billowing in the breeze, the warm sun on my cheeks, playing hide and seek between rows of hanging sheets, burrowing my face in the fresh smell of mom’s tee - these are my earliest memories of childhood and home. Sadly, this quintessential part of domesticity is now frowned upon as a ‘downmarket activity’, a sign of poverty.

Hanging clothes outside to dry or line-drying now carries a strong stigma for many, especially in the US. The very fashion we flaunt and pay a king’s ransom for, we are now ashamed of hanging on a line. Energy-guzzling dryers have overshadowed the sun, hanging laundry outside labeled aesthetically offensive.

So even as we face some grave issues such as global warming, ecological imbalance and the need to decrease our carbon footprint, even when the future of our planet is on the line, many of us are shying away from line drying , all because of societal standards and offended sensibilities. Even as England and Europe revel in the eco-friendly way of drying clothes, many planned communities and cities in the US have actually banned hanging clothes outside. How can a few tees blowing in the breeze be more offensive than global warming? How can we not take this small step when the health of our planet is on the line?

When the sun can dry clothes faster and keep them smelling fresh at no financial and environmental cost, what’s the need to use energy-hogging dryers? Line-drying saves money, is better for your clothes and conserves energy! Not convinced? Read on…

WHY SHOULD I LINE-DRY?

It’s eco-friendly!

Line drying clothes helps to protect the environment by saving energy. It is the most environmentally-friendly way of drying clothes, as it causes zero greenhouse gas emissions.

It’s gentle on your clothes

Imagine the torture your fine silk shirt undergoes tossing and tumbling around in the dryer. Now imagine it hanging peacefully in the shade, breezily drying away. Line drying is gentler to fibers, doesn’t strain buttons and seams, and reduces wrinkles. While dryers break down dyes and hues, air-drying saves blacks and blues!

What’s more, clothes kissed by the sun and fresh air smell awesome. They are softer too, with breeze acting as a natural fabric softener.

It’s a natural bug-killer

Did you know that sunlight helps to disinfect laundry, especially sheets, comforters, towels and diapers?  What’s more, sun whitens your whites, acting as natural bleach.

It’s easier on your wallet

Running a dryer adds more to your electricity bills than most other appliances. Sun and wind are free! Research shows that households which stop using their clothes dryer reduce their annual electricity bill by $100.

Do you want to give line-drying a shot but have never done so before? Fret not, here’s how you can make it easy and do it right.

* Hook up a retractable or permanent clothesline, buy a foldable drying rack or a portable umbrella dryer - the choice is yours!
* Give wet clothes a good snap to prevent wrinkles and stiffness. Do the same while removing dried clothes from the line to remove twigs or dust.
* Turn clothes inside out before hanging. It helps prevent fading as well faster drying of pockets and seams. Keep clothespins handy in an apron or bag.
* Hang T-shirts upside-down, use hangers for drying shirts. Do use plastic hangers - wire hangers can rust and stain clothing.
* Dry fine fabrics in the shade, cottons and linen in the sun.

So what are you waiting for? Go out in the sun, enjoy the fresh air and let them work wonders on your clothes too! Every load counts!

Want to tell us what you love about line-drying? Have some handy tips to make it a breeze? Do drop in a line.

Hit the refresh button on your wardrobe~ SWAP

Every dress has a story to tell. A purchase for a special occasion, a gift from a loved one or simply the product of an impulsive shopping spree – every article of clothing may hold a memory. Unfortunately, it now lies forgotten in a wardrobe corner, having outlived the trend or no longer stretching enough to accommodate the owner.

Isn’t there one in your wardrobe too? The denim that doesn’t fit your curves, but too precious to let go? The jacket you picked up on a shopping spree, so hard to discard after a paying a cool packet for it? The sweatshirts you bought in the Christmas sale, in colors that you now find stale?

Well, you needn’t hoard and store stuff till your shelves overflow. You don’t need to steal your heart and discard to make room for more! Simply swap your possessions with friends and neighbors and watch your wardrobe de-clutter. Not only can you make a cool exchange with friends without spending a penny, the benefits of clothes swapping are many – you can be frugal and still fashionable, reduce your ecological footprint without fighting the lure of fashion.

So every time you fret in front of a cupboard full of clothes, finding nothing to wear, swap before you hit the shops. An environment-friendly and cost-effective alternative, swap meets are all the rage, with participants exchanging their no longer used clothing with others’ clothes that they find interesting. From designer clothes, a simple white tee to the perfect accessory, you never know what you may find at a swap party. Online clothes swapping is another easy way for green fashionistas to follow the trends without worrying about pesticide pollution and non-biodegradable fibre – the after-effects of mass manufacture.

I find throwing a swap party the most fun mode of swapping! All you need to remember are a few basic things to make it a hit!

• First of all, send out invites well ahead of the party to give friends and neighbours a chance to take stock of their closet. Ask everyone to bring 5-10 items of clothing and accessories that they want to swap.
• More the merrier, but minimum 10-15 people are needed to add variety – in sizes as well as clothing!
• The next step is to wash, iron and fold your clothing, asking the invitees to do the same.
• Now add some simple touches such as racks, lights and full-length mirrors to transform your living room into a boutique.
• You are now ready to welcome fellow swappers! Take turns swapping to prevent arguments. (If two shoppers like the same item, simply toss a coin!) Go on, indulge in a guilt-free shopping binge!

Does swapping work for you? Have you ever participated in a cool swap meet? Want to share some tips? We would love to swap stories with you, so do chime in!

SUSTAINABLE FASHION — JOIN THE MOVEMENT

It’s about time the top-drawer designers all around the globe decided to put a spin on their works by incorporating or better even, shifting entirely to organic clothing. It’s about time we shed off our inhibitions when it comes to actually doing something and not just talking about carbon footprint erasers. Various animals and plants out there are paying for our YSLs and Burberrys.

It’s over-the-top shocking to see how the plush fur coats come and go on the runway without a sigh from those seated.

Sigh. No, animals were not killed for the fur. They were skinned off alive. And for the rest of the garment, a few square foots of the planet somewhere were destroyed. Yes, it’s about time the top-drawer designers all around the globe decided to take the plunge, the shift, and join the movement. The one that is going to prove the most important one. It’s here and you know it. We’re talking about Sustainable Fashion.

Agreed, you understand it all, about eco-friendliness. Also agree that you are trying really hard to incorporate it into your wardrobe. BUT that you’re finding it difficult to incorporate green in your wardrobe, because you don’t have many options? Wait a minute here. Who are we kidding? No fooling anyone by saying ‘not many choices in organic fashion’. That’s just a way of passing the buck. The fad of eco-friendly clothing is not a passing one, so don’t pass it up like that. If you have the will, there is Google, there are green fashion brands and what not. It’s all just a click away. It’s that easy. It’s a movement, we repeat. The kind that starts slowly, picks up, trickles down, flourishes and saves us all. Why wait?

If you’re going to spend a million bucks on some dead animal’s dead skin and hair, might as well spend a little less on something environment-friendly?

Eco fashion – Will it pervade or fade?

Coco Chanel once said, “Fashion is not something that exists only in dresses. Fashion is in the sky, in the street; fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

With a powerful green consciousness sweeping across the world — how can fashion remain untouched and aloof? Call it awareness or common sense, the movement to preserve the very fabric of nature on which the apparel industry depends, was long due.

Eco-friendly fashion is the current rage. And it is here to stay.

Eco fashion embraces Mother Nature, gently capturing her myriad moods – sweltering summers, stark winters, lush monsoons and vibrant autumns – without disturbing its fragile harmony. Organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, jute – it glories in using natural, chemical-free, breathable fabrics. Unlike conventional cotton production which uses approximately 25% of the world’s insecticides and more than 16% of the world’s total pesticides, eco-friendly brands don’t use harmful chemicals and dyes to color fabrics, optimize  water use and are made by adults earning fair wages.

Green definitely is the new black now. By simply going organic, you can help keep the planet healthy, steer clear of allergies and be a green fashionista! It sure makes sense to me as also to millions worldwide who have embraced organic. From the girl next door to celebs such as Cate Blanchett , Thandie Newton, George Clooney and Madonna  and royals such as Prince Charles, earth-friendly fashion eco fashion has found champions as diverse as ecology.

I feel eco fashion is here to stay. It is not hippy fashion, nor is it an elitist fad – it is a state of mind, a way of living. Some may choose organic for its aesthetic appeal – for vibrant natural fibres that breathe free of chemicals. Others may buy them to keep the planet healthy or to minimise allergies. To make a fashion statement or to save our dying planet — the motives may differ — but every single purchase sets the wheel rolling and keeps this green movement in motion. The more people opt for organic, the more impetus it is giving to eco fashion designers like us.

Are you champions of this green movement or do you think eco fashion is a passing fad? Have we ushered in a green revolution in how we buy, use and live? Will sustainability rule over mass marketed mediocrity?

Whether you are an organic lover or a sceptic, a tree-hugger or simply curious about what the brouhaha is about, drop in a line. We would love to hear from you.

Expensive Green Fashion – MYTH OR REALITY?

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 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.

Neerg is now available in Ahmedabad

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.