JIWYA

JIWYA thrives on a close-knit community, with production conducted out of their home in Nashik. The heartbeat of the brand lies in the hands of 100+ artisans scattered across the country, each recognized for their craft. All are State Awardees, with 18 National Awardees and 10 Padma Awardees (the highest civilian honour in India).

With a commitment to authenticity, JIWYA’s artisans are chosen based on their accolades or authenticated artistry. Beyond business transactions, the brand establishes personal connections by visiting each artisan in person. Prioritizing the safety and well-being of their collaborators, JIWYA provides safety recommendations, ensuring a secure working environment; while also learning from the artisans’ treasure trove of historical knowledge of the craft. The brand respects tradition by utilizing ancient designs and techniques, their only condition being that all designs are crafted using only the most natural materials, which is something the brand also assists the artisans with. Once the fabrics are meticulously handcrafted by artisans, they make their journey to the headquarters, where skilled seamstresses bring these designs to life.

Embracing only natural materials like rainfed and locally sourced cotton, exclusively sourced from hand-woven sources, the brand avoids cotton-mills and chooses to preserve an ancient craft. They also use other natural materials like unbleached linen and jute fiber. They strictly only use plant-based dyes, and locally manufactured unbleached cotton for their eco-friendly packaging and care-labels. For fixtures they take design decisions that would not require plastic components like zippers, velcro or elastic. The founders, with a textile background, personally conduct the material sourcing, ensuring a commitment to sustainability. The use of natural materials and non-toxic dyes keeps the impact of the garments on the surrounding environment to a minimum.

Conducting thorough quality checks, including strength tests and verifying the use of only natural fabrics, JIWYA takes a hands-on approach. Water recycling in their backyard is a shared ethos with all of their artisan partners. Choosing compostable bio mailers, recycled cardboard, and truck transportation, JIWYA creates a supply chain aligned with environmental responsibility. Even in its early stages, the brand is actively pursuing certifications, marking a steadfast commitment to transparency and sustainability.

This brand uses monomaterial clothes, all made of cotton and all natural dyes, making the garments easily recyclable at the end of use. They also collect scraps during production, and upcycle them into new clothes for a new collection. 
 

As of 2024, JIWYA has introduced the Re:JIWYA programme, which allows customers a lifetime subscription of repair, revamp, and reintroduction for all of JIWYA’s clothing. This provides many options for extending the lifecycle of the used garments, be it through repair, recycling, or upcycling the clothing into a new design. These services are all provided at either free or at a fraction of the cost of the original garment, depending on the service. Such a flexible service makes JIWYA’s circular business model fool-proof, ensuring no garments end up in landfills at the end of use.

The brand is located in Nashik, India, and conducts all of its sourcing all the way through to the raw materials from within India itself. This keeps the supply chain very short. They also avoid transportation methods with high emissions, sticking to truck transport.

JIWYA does not use any animal products, and has obtained the PETA Vegan certificate (2024), making them a vegan brand.

At JIWYA, slow fashion isn’t just a philosophy; it’s a hands-on commitment that permeates every step of the sourcing and production process. The founders meticulously oversee each stage, ensuring that every aspect aligns with their core values. When faced with challenges, they don’t hesitate to step in, assisting artisans or taking on tasks themselves to maintain the integrity of their craft and sustainable values.

Embracing the essence of slow fashion, JIWYA’s designs are customizable for a perfect fit. A thorough sizing allows for custom measurements, exemplifying their commitment to individualized, sustainable fashion. This also ensures that lesser clothes are returned, and along with the durable materials and care tips, including free consultations regarding garment repair, the garments can be kept in use for as long as possible. The brand remains steadfast in its ethos, refusing to compromise on sustainability, even if it means investing more to uphold their principles.

JIWYA stands as a beacon of transparency in the fashion landscape. Committed to openness, they proudly list every artisan by name on their website, celebrating the skilled hands behind each creation. We can see their dedication to sustainability, as they made the effort to find out exactly where the cotton is sourced from by each artisan that they work with. In their collaboration with COSH!, JIWYA willingly provides comprehensive details, including a lengthy flowchart, offering a deeper understanding of their sustainable practices.