I would very much like to purchase an item no one can own because I’ve grown tired of wearing accessories that the next girl has. As lovely as Zara and H&M and all the other fast-fashion brands of the world are, I just hate having to see people wear the same things that I do. That’s where sustainable accessory brands come into play. You just know that no one else will have something as unique as you do. Yes, sustainable items do come with a higher price tag and we need to recognise that one will get more usage out of these items. This will help you save more money over time and in the grand scheme of things you would have shopped a lot lesser too.

We need to be more mindful about our shopping practises because every item you discard is added to a mountain of trash that has no place to go. This is why fashion is the second largest industry to be polluting planet earth. And it is our job to make this a habitable place for generations to come. I have made another list, in an effort to help you do your bit! Scroll below.

Here’s a list of Sustainable Accessory Brands you need to add to your wardrobe this 2020:

1. Runway Nagaland

Runway Nagaland is an all-woman artisan that makes handcrafted jewellery and handloom accessories. Each design is carefully made to resemble traditional pieces and made contemporary by way of colours, textures, and beadwork. This sustainable accessory brand preserves and promotes old indigenous art techniques from Nagaland.

2. Paulami

Paulami Saha, a NIFT alumnus, and accessory designer started an eco-friendly label called Paulami. Her brand strives to employ women from underprivileged backgrounds. This allows them to hone their creative skills and earn a living while taking care of their families. Most of the accessories are made from fabric and are sometimes mixed with other Indian handicraft techniques.

3. Straw

Straw is an amalgamation of varied cultures, sustainable and handcrafted products that are crafted by skilled artisans from around the globe. The brand encourages ethically crafted and high-quality design products. Each item is lovingly and painstakingly crafted to match the contemporary buyer’s palate.

4. Irida Bling

Irida Bling is a sustainable accessory brand that crafts handmade jewellery from scrap leather! The designs are developed digitally and then laser cut and the best part is that up-cycling is the most sustainable thing to do to help the industry.

5. Swavlambi

Swavlambi is a project devised by the Manav Seva Foundation—a Non-Profit organisation based in Vadodara. This project was born out of the need to create a community of self- employed women. They support women by giving them vocational skills like embroidery and stitching. The accessories are really beautiful and tastefully made and what a wonderful concept to support.

6. Adagiobymy

Adagiobymy is a sustainable accessory brand run by a mother-daughter duo that creates wearable art. All of their accessories are handpainted, hand-made and they also do retail denim jackets, bags, and handpainted sarees.

I love how creatively each of these brands has expressed themselves. Which of these designers would you add to your wardrobe?

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