Say Yes To Sustainable Fashion With Khadi

If eco-friendly fashion ever wants a torchbearer, khadi will be a natural choice. This hand-spun fabric is usually associated with a coarse texture. However, “khadi (or khaddar) can actually refer to any natural fabric (cotton or silk) that has been handspun and handwoven,” says a Vogue article.   

A powerful symbol of India’s fight for self-reliance under the British rule, khadi’s legacy has endured through the years. To date, the mention of khadi immediately conjures the image of Mahatma Gandhi spinning the wheel. Gandhi saw khadi as a great unifier and asked every Indian to spend at least an hour every day on the spinning wheel as a duty towards the poor and to support the country’s rural economy.

As the demand for khadi rose, high-production capacity spindle machines were developed to spin fabrics with better quality and blend.

What makes khadi special?

Much before the term sustainable fashion gained global currency, khadi epitomized that. Since the spinning and weaving of the khadi fabric is done by hands, its carbon footprint is zero. A natural fabric, khadi is perfect for anytime of the year. On a hot day, it will let you breathe; on a chilly evening, expect a khadi silk jacket or stole to keep you warm. Khadi fabric can last for years if maintained properly.

Wear it any way you want

Cotton khadi is used for making shirts, dresses and even sarees. Similarly, khadi silk is a favourite among the fashion-conscious—khadi silk stoles, sarees, jackets are some of the many ways which in which you can flaunt the fabric. And that’s not all. Khadi wool is used to make caps and shawls.

You also have polyester khadi—yes, it exists and has a following of its own. From shirts to kurta-pyjamas, polyester khadi is used in a range of garments. If denims are your thing, khadi has found its way into this hugely-popular segment too. Khadi denim jeans blend fashion with sustainability.