Asha Gautam launches ‘The Kadam Project’ to offer sustainable, upcycled fashion

Handcrafted clothing brand Asha Gautam has launched ‘The Kadam Project’ and an upcycling initiative. The brand has worked with artisans to breathe new life into vintage handloom pieces and aims to “redefine the boundaries of fashion”.

For The Kadam Project, Asha Gautam’s network of craftspeople have taken sarees up to 50 years old and restored their zari with with real gold and silver thread, the brand announced in a press release. The project has been conceptualised to create a circular design process. 
 
“In the current landscape, where concerns about climate change take precedence, Kadam stands as a beacon of responsible fashion, resonating with the imperative for a paradigm shift in consumer behaviour,” said Asha Gautam’s creative head Gautam Gupta in a press release. “Our objective transcends merely slowing down the process of crafting new garments; it extends to the judicious reuse of existing pieces for future consumption.”

Pieces in The Kadam Project have taken between two months to a year to complete, according to the brand. The project aims to encourage people to reuse existing textiles and garments to eliminate waste and celebrate heritage. 

Asha Gautam has completed a quarter century in the Indian fashion industry and the label aims to mix heritage design with sustainable manufacturing processes. The brand retails from its store in New Delhi, its direct to customer e-commerce store, and a variety of multi-brand boutiques.