So Ethic..

Slow.Useless in Mumbai

2011-12-07T18:21:00.000+11:00

Meet PADMAJA KRISHNAN

Padmaja, an alumnus from the National Institute of fashion Technology, New Delhi, has had solo as well as group exhibits of her work in several countries including UK, Japan, USA, Hong Kong and Portugal.

Selected to showcase her clothes at zero-waste: fashion repatterned, a specially curated exhibition of international designers at the A + D gallery, Chicago, March 2011, she has also exhibited at Ecochic Asia, October 2010, Hong Kong the first dedicated fashion show ever held that exclusively celebrated Asian designers' contributions towards improved environmental and/or social conditions within the fashion industry.

Padmaja was featured along with renowned international textile artists/designers in an exhibition of fashion clothes titled “Transformation: Material . Magic . Memory”, at Hong Kong Polytech University, March 2010. She was selected to represent India at Experimenta Design, Lisbon, September 2009, an international biennale dedicated to design, architecture and contemporary culture. An India finalist at the 2008 IYFEY entrepreneur search by British Council, her clothes was showcased as a part of New World design at the London Design Festival in 2007.

Her contemporary take on kaantha embroidery art of Bengal, has won her the best textile creation – grand Prix at the International quilt festival, Birmingham in 2007.

Artist statement:

‘The inspiration comes from the unexpected, from looking at the environment around with insatiable eyes, experimenting with office tools, daydreaming and a wish to hide the limitations of the techniques used when making clothes’ – Koromo by Jurgen Lehl

The approach to design is intellectually reductive, reexamining and reducing details to produce unpretentious simplicity.

The endeavor is to create objects of excellence that are timeless and hopefully will give pride to the maker as much as to the user.

Quoting Ruchir Joshi:

" The great Hindustani vocalist Kumar Gandharva used to say `most people sing the full face of a Raag, I always try to sing the profile.’
Whose shirt is it, that’s been flipped over so?
Is it a memento from a close friend that someone can’t bear to be away from?
Is it linus’ blanket?
Is it an erring boyfriend’s favorite piece twisted?
But again, if the humor is never very far, neither is beautifully disciplined understatement. In the underwater circus of kitschy excess that makes up a lot of the Indian fashion scene today, she confidently holds her line. And her color. And her stitching. The whimsical shoal of kaantha stitches on the shoulder of a kurta is balanced by a classical notation of buttons, it takes a few seconds, a triple-take to realize the sleeves and body of a skirt (yes, her skirts have sleeves!) are slightly different colored, made from two normally warring fabrics brought into harmony.

There is literally and metaphorically a layering here, that is unmistakably Padmaja’s – a couture-handwriting that is unique and beyond the superficially elegant. She is precocious, wicked, and yet, without any heaviness, very serious. In her design, tradition is deeply respected even as it’s brought into a close dance with the contemporary and the futuristic: a frayed hem left open refers simultaneously to the weaver’s loom in mid-shuttle, to grunge, to old Vreeland saying `never explain, never apologize.’

The fascinating thing about Padmaja’s work is that she does the same with textiles and clothes. Whether it’s an item of everyday use like Jholaa or an elaborate dress Padmaja takes it and turns it inside out and finds the profile where most designers would embellish the full face. Her brilliant riff on the common Jholaa that she constructs out of a shirt is one such example: the side-bag is at once recognizable as itself and also as an upside-down shirt with the sleeves forming the shoulder-strap. There is beauty here, but it’s combined with mischievous wit and, often, a mysterious narrative."

If you live in Mumbai (India), this is your chance to witness one of her upcoming exhibitions: SLOW.Useless

model ::: Meeta Vasisht, photograhy ::: Koushik Sarkar

An installation cum trunk sale of exquisitely hand crafted, thought provoking, contemporary clothes for men and women by Padmaja Krishnan showing between 8^th -10^th December [11am-7pm] at Artisan’s gallery, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai.

To re-look at all that’s useless and discarded, to choose techniques that are slow and not fully controllable, to look for effects in defects, to find the weakness of the machine, to use repeats that are bigger than the field of vision or just to cheat the unsuspecting eye are some of the ways Padmaja uses to break the tedium of mass manufacture and to create subversive, avant garde clothing that can be labeled classic and quirky at the same time.

model ::: Meeta Vasisht, photograhy ::: Koushik Sarkar

‘wild silks: khadi linens: malkha cottons: kosa saris redefined as asymmetric tunics: kaantha scraps: hand sewn techniques: rags: deconstructed skirts, seamless jackets, classic kurtas, hand woven men’s pants– This exhibition will feature her explorations with the ‘SLOW’ and the ‘useless’.

On Facebook: Padmaja

Her blog: TransitDesign

You can email Padmaja on krishnan.padmaja@gmail.com or contact on 0091-9930272339.

Twestival Melbourne 2011

2011-03-11T12:02:00.000+11:00

WHAT IS A TWESTIVAL?

It’s kind of a strange word, but it is short for Twitter Festival.

Basically an enterprising group have organized a global event to encourage Twitter users to harness their collective energy to give something back to the community.

On Thursday March 24 2011, the Global Twitter community will take part in Twestival 2011.

We are excited to be supporting STREAT Melbourne: a social enterprise that provides Hospitality training and practical experience to homeless youth in Melbourne. They combine wrap‐around social support with industry training and employment opportunities in their STREAT carts.

Pics from www.streat.com.au

By being part of the Melbourne Twestival you can make a real difference to the lives and livelihood of someone currently living on the street.

Your money could go to many things; it might go to buy tools of the hospitality trade, sponsor training classes, or fund social support programs for a disadvantaged young person.

$10 provides two days of transportation for a young person.
$20 buys the apron a young person wears in training.
$50 buys a knife for a young person to cook with.
$100 outfits a young person with a professional uniform kit.
$300 funds public transport for a young person across the six months of training.
$500 funds meals at STREAT for a young person for a month.

The Twestival organized for Melbourne will be held at the STREAT offices on Thursday evening 6-9pm on March 24. We encourage you to come along to engage with the Melbourne twitter community and raise awareness and worthy funds for this project.

Think of all the support and connections you have in the Twitter community, now is the time to reach out to your local community and give them some support.

To buy your ticket click here, we look forward to you joining us.

Post written by Jane Mills

Featuring Sass Brown and her enormously famous book "Eco Fashion"

2011-02-19T16:02:00.000+11:00

Sass Brown

Sass Brown is the resident director for the Fashion institute of technology’s study abroad program in Florence, Italy. Originally from London, England, Sass established herself as a designer with her own signature collection selling in the U.K and across Canada. As an academic, her area of research is in community outreach and ethical design practices in fashion businesses. she has published papers and spoken around the world on the topic of sustainable design, has worked and volunteered in women’s cooperatives in Latin America, and taught workshops to manufacturers and fashion enterprises in Peru. Her book, eco design, for British publishers Laurence king, is also translated into Italian and Spanish, with the intent of showcasing some of the best expressions of eco fashion around the world.

My interaction with Sass started a couple of years ago while I worked at the Samant Chauhan design team in India. Sass was then researching on the designers she intended to showcase and her knowledge and interest in the subject had got me totally impressed.

The success of this book "Eco fashion" is no surprise to anyone who knows Sass. She has worked hard on her research and made sure that the the examples within it will act as a model for new and upcoming designers. This has become the most referred book in the sustainable fashion field and will continue to be so for many years to come.

Published by Laurence King

Sass Brown on her book “Eco Fashion” : "My hope is that this book and some of the examples within it will act as a model for new and upcoming designers. One of the biggest problems for the next generation of designers is the lack of high profile examples of how to incorporate sustainability and good design. I hope this book will act as just that, a model of what is possible, what can be built upon, and what is already being done. All the best work in any area of product development, from science to design builds upon the past, and furthers the concepts of their predecessors. Our future lays in the hands of designers of every stripe, from products to systems. We can sink in more throw away, designed to be obsolete fashions and products that bury and poison our environment, or we can design ourselves a new future. The eternal optimist, I hope for the later."

Excerpt from my interview with her earlier this week:

Bhakti: Let’s start with the obvious question, Sass- what drove you towards eco-fashion? Sass: I am a designer by trade, and so have always had a close connection with the industry. I sort of fell into teaching around 10 years ago, which was a blessing for me, as I was a bit burned out by the industry, having moved from my own label to up of merchandizing in the corporate side of design, and teaching gave me the freedom to explore other areas of design. very early in my academic career, I was invited to speak on behalf of fit at an international textile conference in Rio, Brazil, and by chance had just read an article about Carlos Miele and his work with women's cooperatives in Brazil, one of which was based in Rio, who I met during my scheduled visit. that introduction turned into me writing several grants to work with the cooperative, which started as volunteering, and developed into creative direction, working directly with the artisans in development etc, which grew into me advising and working with various groups in brazil and Peru, giving talks, workshops and consulting and designing, all working with various crafts and techniques, but who needed help to position themselves in a very sophisticated global market place, not as craft cooperatives, but as creators working with traditions techniques and techniques that should be highly prized. my working with cooperatives, and not for profits in developing countries extended into sustainable fabrications not just sustainable development, which led to more writing, more papers, then the book and now the website and resource guide.

Bhakti: How difficult was it to find the genuine eco fashion and ethical fashion designers throughout the globe? Sass: one of the most refreshing things about the eco fashion movement as opposed to the mainstream fashion movement is the willingness of everyone to share information. there is a general understanding that we all have to support each other for the sustainability of the industry as a whole, so every designer I came across introduced me to other, many times, their biggest competitors. This is something that is of course all but unheard of in the mainstream fashion system.

Bhakti: Having said that, we know that “Eco fashion” is the most misused term in fashion today, did you have to perform any checks to make sure they are genuine? Sass: In most cases I visited the company/label, but not in all. In the end there is a certain amount of trust that went into the gathering of information. To back that up however, this is an area of design that requires by default absolute transparency, so there is a high expectation of honestly with an equally corresponding high delivery.

Bhakti: As you mentioned visiting the company/labels, I recall that you conduct workshops for manufacturers in fashion. Can you tell us more? Sass: I have given many day long workshops mostly on the design development process and how existing small businesses or even large businesses move into creative development instead of simply production. So in short, the creative process; where you get inspiration, how you apply that inspiration to your designs, market etc. In many cases the companies and individuals that have attended those workshops have been individual designers, large companies do product development for others and NGOs and cooperatives looking to break out of a market that undervalues their products into one that values them. I have also given many talks on eco fashion, mostly over viewing who's doing what around the globe, as a means of showing concrete and inspiring models of what is possible without sacrificing design.

Bhakti: Coming back to your “Eco fashion”, this book has become the best reference source for eco fashion today, how does it feel?Sass: It has been an uphill struggle, but I am committed to showcasing the work of some outstanding labels and designers, and blowing the out of date myth that eco design is bad design, or basic design at best, but that it can stand against the best of the best the fashion industry has to offer and not come up short. the hope was that the book, now also the website, would develop into a sort of definitive guide or one stop shop for great eco fashion, not watered down by mediocrity or green-washing. but one place you could always refer to for aspirational ecological or ethical fashion and only fashion, not interiors, not basics, not cosmetics, but aspirational fashion at various tiers of the market, at multiple price points and for multiple tastes, whether expressed as cerebral, intellectual, playful, naive, pretty, feminine or urban, but always good design. There is still quite a way to go to becoming the definitive source, but every journey starts with a single step!

Bhakti: And that step has been taken, for sure! What is the road ahead looking like for eco and ethical fashion according to you? Sass: For the industry as a whole, the future is bright. There is so much innovation going on, and new labels and committed individuals entering the arena all the time, alongside others establishing a more consolidated presence. There are the beginnings of an eco fashion press happening with more and more coverage by the mainstream media, plus some new publications such as above magazine for example. My hope is that the industry will continue to move up market, and will forge its own fashion systems, as mimicking the existing one is not the future, and can’t be. Aspirational design is what drives a market, so there must be aspirational designers at the lead of this movement.

Bhakti: I hope and wish just like you, that this is indeed the beginning of a new era in Fashion. We would love to keep in touch and follow your journey. Tell us, what are you working on lately? Sass: The website and blog continue to develop and grow, with a different eco designer featured each week, an ever expanding resource guide and an eco fashion calendar. There are ongoing plans for the website- Firstly, with the information growing on it all the time, there is the need to subdivide information, make it searchable etc, so that is an ongoing endeavor. Then, to expand into a more diverse segment of the market, such as men's wear for example. Also, the considerations of adding an e-commerce component to it is on the cards, although these are far from decided as yet. I am in the early stages of working on an eco fashion exhibit that can tour and am also working on another eco fashion book. Lots of other exciting things that it’s not fair to talk about until their future is decided upon. I’m off to London fashion week now and Estethica and Eco luxe, the two green shows in the U.K this weekend!

Bhakti: I would love to host a similar presentation and book signing event in Australia and also a workshop in India. Would you be keen? Sass: Always interested in both of the above!

I wish Sass lots more success and shall continue to be her fan! For others who would like to keep in touch with Sass and Eco Fashion: Here are the links you should be clicking on right away: Facebook, Twitter, Website and Blog.

Can’t wait to witness one of her inspiring talks? Here’s a link to her a talk on behalf of the museum at FIT, about her book Eco Fashion presented at FIT in October 2010. This is 50 minutes of poor goodness and inspiration so make time for it before you continue :)

Love and peace,
Bhakti

Onya mark, get set GO!

2011-01-20T11:00:00.000+11:00

For those who are not yet aware of the fabulous event planned in Melbourne on Australia day, here goes:
Onya Magazine is a celebration of all things Australian, hence it was most appropriate for them to plan an event celebrating the Australian mateship, when the nation is going through a difficult time following the catastrophic floods.

Aptly planned for Australia Day, (Wednesday the 26^th of January from 12pm – 4pm) the event will be held at Honey Bar and Restaurant on the corner of Park and Clarendon Streets, South Melbourne.

The event will host a silent auction of items from Australian companies, and a live auction at 2pm for big ticket items like a Ken Duncan framed print, athletic memorabilia and more. There will be live music, Byron Cooke spinning disks and Melbourne celebrities and local identities in attendance.
Entry to the event is just $5 on the door, with 100% of proceeds from admission, auctions, donations and Honey Bar profits being contributed directly to the cause by OnyaAid.

Be there, bring all your friends and don't forget to RSVP on the event's Facebook page here.

Twitter hashtag: #OnyaAid

For Christmas, you can Keep-Cup!

2010-12-22T12:08:00.000+11:00

So Ethic announces a great Christmas giveaway!

This is your chance to have a keep cup posted to your door step anywhere in Australia!!!
To win, all you need to do is share this link on your blog/facebook/twitter and send us the link to it on email :mail@soethic.net

Don't live in Australia? You can have this sent as a gift to your friends living there :)
Easy? Hurry up then!

Please note: The first 20 people to send us an email will have their Keep Cups mailed to them on the 4th of January 2011.

KeepCup is the first barista standard reusable cup and the number one choice for sustainable coffee consumption. Many small acts can make a phemonenal difference. Website: www.keepcup.com

So Ethic christmas surprise! 50% off storewide

2010-12-10T12:05:00.000+11:00

Auralis Jumpsuit (New York)

Take a 50% off store wide at So Ethic only for one week! Includes clothes, accessories, Bamboo sunglasses, Como No Vegan boots, Keep Cups and the beads!

Kate Tailyour (UK)

What's more? You get a surprise gift with every purchase until the 16th of December!

Samant Chauhan (India)

Call 0450725511 for more info.
www.soethic.net

Como-No Vegan boots on sale!

2010-11-23T12:42:00.000+11:00

Don't we all love the colorful and vegan boots Como-No?
COMO NO is a French brand of ethical fashion accessories made in Argentina: limited series of boots, bags and purses.It is also a brand committed to responsible and sustainable practices.

This brand was started by two friends Emmanuelle and Candice a couple of years ago in the romantic city Paris. Speaking passionately about her brand, Emmanulle says:

In the spirit of fair trade, we choose to work hand in hand with cooperatives from the Argentine province of Buenos Aires. With a regard for the environment, we use predominantly transitional cotton grown in northern Argentina and free heavy metal dyes. In addition, fabric leftovers from our boot productions are then used in the creation of our other hand-made accessories, making the most of our materials and minizing waste. We are continuously working to find more responsible solutions at every stage!

So Ethic has always loved their work since inception and to promote their work here in Melbourne and to see more colours in this bright beautiful sunshine weather - we are offering them at a discounted price!

Boots at $99, Bags $59 and purses just $29!

What are you waiting for? Christmas is here!

Slow fashion gets a future here: Olivia Luca design Studio.

2010-11-15T12:05:00.000+11:00

My Favourite style of starting your Ethical Fashion purchases is the "Custom-made" demi-couture or made-to-order. This is a way of encouraging quality and “slow fashion” over mass-produced disposable fashion.
Having said that, we hardly find the right place online where we one can design, customise and at the same time visualise what we have in mind, while sticking to a given budget. My search for one such place has ended today.
Olivia Lucia makes it happen!

A dress that you could create at your own leisure, in your own way, maybe even from the comfort of your own home. No rush. No muss. No pressure. No sewing skills required. An exquisite dress made from beautiful, lush fabrics, with every seam stitched just for you. A dress that is affordable but impossibly appropriate.
Design it according to your body type, in your own favourite colour using a fabric you choose and even adding the design elements that compliment you. Each choice you make will effect the price and you can change it according to your budget (A less expensive fabric or a design using lesser fabric).
You can even save the design, share it with your friends and family, sleep over it and make changes to it as many times as you like (before placing the order). Just make sure you allow sufficient time for the magic to happen (12 weeks in this case)
Get it shipped to your location and expect it the day it is promised to be delivered.
Visit their online studio here and get started.

The future of slow fashion is here, me thinks!
Edit: Here's another good news: They are now adding AHIMSA silks as an option in their list of beautiful fabrics!

bhakti@soethic.net

Australian International Sourcing Fair 17-19 November 2010 in Melbourne

2010-11-13T11:26:00.000+11:00

This is a heads up on the upcoming Australian INTERNATIONAL SOURCING FAIR at the Melbourne Exhibition and convention Centre next week. This expo will help connect manufacturers from overseas to the retailers here. They boast of a diverse array of exciting product options from fashion to homewares.
A key element in the supply chain, the Australian INTERNATIONAL SOURCING FAIR brings 160 global manufacturers and producers to Australia. Combined with another 120 producers from the co-located China Clothing & Textiles Expo, the Fair provides an invaluable opportunity to meet with over 280 manufacturing and business partners.

Dates & Opening Hours

Wednesday 17 November 2010 10am-5pm
Thursday 18 November 2010 10am-5pm
Friday 19 November 2010 10am-3pm

Also, there are some insightful seminars to look forward to. My picks for the seminars:

Wednesday 17 November 2010

10:30am Source for Success
Sarah Gale, Project Runway Judge and Director of Fashionista Business Consultancy Group
How to create balanced product ranges and import with skill.
2:00pm Opportunities from India
Mr T Hukumchand, General Manager, Indian Trade Promotion Organisation
The Advantage of Sourcing from India

Thursday 18 November, 2010

10:30am Fabrics and Apparel from Pakistan
Mr Hamid Khan, Consul-General of Pakistan
Textiles and fabrics that shape the fashion and homewares landscape.
2:00pm Why Make it In Fiji
Mr Kalpesh Solanki, President, Textile, Clothing, Footwear Council of Fiji
Discover the creativity of Fiji.

Friday 19 November 2010

10:30am Success in Sourcing: Importing Fundamentals
Bob Moore, Agility Logistics
Get the basics right with importing fundamentals.

12 noon Bangladesh-Australia Trade Relations: Prospects and Reality

Mr Mohammad Kamrul Islam Chowdhury, Deputy Director, Export Promotion Bureau Bangladesh

Learn why Bangladesh is a world leader in fashion apparel, jute and leather exports.

Each seminar will run for 45 minutes including question time. The Seminars are located in the Café Precinct at the rear of the show and are free to attend.

See you there!
Bhakti
mail@soethic.net

On the hunt for a designer who makes high fashion garments in Australia!

2010-11-09T17:23:00.000+11:00

Are you a designer from Australia? Do you take pride in your high fashion garments and follow an Ethical approach in the production of your clothes?
We are looking for you!

As promised, So Ethic gives out 100% of its Profits to a designer so he/she can make a capsule collection from AHIMSA silk. This fabric is made using a patented process without killing any silk worms!

The time has come to hand out 10 metres each in all of the following fabrics:

Satin Ahimsa

Knit (latest innovation for Ahimsa)

Plain (first ever Ahimsa)

Noil Plain Ahimsa

Light wt Ahimsa

That is 50 metres in all! These fabric samples are at the So Ethic store in Melbourne and you are free to come and take a look at them.

The designer needs to show us samples/sketches from their latest collection and if we think that these are chic enough for So Ethic, you can take the entire 50 metres of this fabric!!!

What's better? We sell the Ahimsa Silk garments at So Ethic for you. The prices of these garments will be the same as the corresponding styles in your collection, made using any other fabric.

These garments will be available for sale at So Ethic for three months. At the end of these three months, the unsold garments will be auctioned and the proceeds given away to a charity. Neither So Ethic nor the designer gets a penny from this auction sale. Suits you?

Write to me now!

Email: mail@soethic.net

Twitter: @SoEthic

Gmail: mailsoethic@gmail.com

The grand So Ethic BLACK-OUT sale!

2010-10-27T14:06:00.000+11:00

Three days only- So Ethic is offering a 50% discount on anything that is BLACK!

That Samant Chauhan LBD you have been eying on for a long time...

The eco wear by Auralis...

The como no Garabatos boots that we all love

The favourite Kate tailor blouson

Or the padmaja zero wastage skirt...

Now is the best time to pick them up!

Tell you a little secret, this sale applies to the HOT bamboo sunnies,

The certfied organic tees by Etrican AND our very own keep cups too!

Sales ends at 7 pm on Saturday!

See you soon :)

So Ethic

38, Rebecca Walk

Melbourne CBD

Ph: 0450725511

mail@soethic.net

A.D.O made in U.S.A and India coming soon to your very own So Ethic, Melbourne

2010-10-15T16:55:00.000+11:00

a.d.o (anjelika dreams organic) is a clothing line designed for the active woman: Comfortable and breathable!

The fabrics are dyed using the age-old, Indian tradition of natural herb dye. Each strand of yarn is dyed with hand-picked natural ingredients such as pomegranate seeds, turmeric, lemon, indigo, Fera, sandalwood, basil, Eucalyptus etc., to gives it's unique color and natural goodness.

While colored dyes are still a problem to organic clothing, a.d.o stands out because A.D.O uses all natural herb dye, leaving the environment clean, happy and safe for our future generations.

The Company takes pride in making clothes that are free of synthetic chemicals, toxic irritants, and 100% organic and sustainable.

All a.d.o clothing is made in a factory in India and U.S.A, that takes a holistic approach to their employees and economic sustainability. In addition to healthy working conditions, food and housing are a standard followed here.

"The 'a.d.o' woman is one with her community, active, and wants the very best for her family, her surroundings, the body and the soul. We hope you enjoy wearing our clothes as much as we have enjoyed creating them" says Anjelika of A.D.O

A.D.O has won many accolades and is recognised internationally for their sustainable and ethical practices.

Click here to read more about them: A.D.O website

Clothes with a CONSCIENCE by Stringhopper, Srilanka

2010-09-21T15:31:00.000+10:00

A tropical Sri Lankan menswear brand with clean lines, which has high wearability quotient.
It pushes boundaries within the limits of simplicity.

These shirts are made from handpicked cotton which stems out of an inclusive growth project which envisages to strike a fine balance between the existing eco-system and the human populace, and a promise that conscience runs in every square inch of this fabric to the tag that brings you this message.

CONSCIENCE by Stringhopper, Sri Lanka's first Ethical fashion label.

Coming soon to So Ethic Melbourne and its online shop!

Green the gap collective coming soon to So Ethic, Melbourne.

2010-09-07T20:35:00.000+10:00

Green-the-Gap Collective(GtG) signifies bridging the space between the growing depletion of environment by increased utilization of simple eco-friendly products and solutions.

It aims at bringing environment friendly products, services and solutions at a one-stop destination. The mission of the organisation is to fetch livelihood to the producer, as well as to enhance awareness and usage of products that go easy on our planet.

Made from reclaimed fabrics, Jute, waste leather and tetrapacks and Ethically produced in India.

Look forward to their bags, wallets, pendrives and other stuff at So ETHIC, Melbourne soon!

www.soethic.net

So Ethic Incubator in India

2010-07-29T18:26:00.000+10:00

So Ethic will soon announce the launch of its incubator in India headed by a leading fashion designer with the support of a reputed name in the industry. More details on who is the spearhead of the project and where the hub will be located will be shared soon. Until then, here is what the SO ETHIC INCUBATOR will mean:

This will be a one stop place for budding talents to design, create and sell without having to worry about investing in an infrastructure of their own. This is merely a training facility designed to foster entrepreneurship and help startup fashion labels in India.

We will invite the best talent from the new generation to create a high fashion garments at the luxury of a world class manufacturing unit keeping in mind the sustainable and fairtrade principles. Because we believe in the talent they hold, we do not want anything to hold them back from pursuing their dream of starting their own labels. This would also mean giving birth to newer and more market-ready Ethical Fashion labels.

The designers will work individually and in groups to create their own labels which will be sold at the So Ethic store in India and in the other countries too. They will learn what it takes to run a manufacturing unit, learn to market their label and exposed to various fashion weeks too. They will be taught to understand the importance of a sustainable fashion world and the implication of an Ethical label on the society.

This is an incubator for them. A place where they will be nurtured and grown until they are happy and ready to be working on their own. To quote Wikipedia : Business incubators are programs designed to accelerate the successful development of entrepreneurial companies through an array of business support resources and services, developed and orchestrated by incubator management and offered both in the incubator and through its network of contacts. Incubators vary in the way they deliver their services, in their organizational structure, and in the types of clients they serve. Successful completion of a business incubation program increases the likelihood that a start-up company will stay in business for the long term: Historically, 87% of incubator graduates stay in business.
Read full article on Wiki click here

We will share more information here soon. Feel free to write to us for any feedback/suggestions/questions that you may have.

Stay Chic. Stay So Ethic.

mail@soethic.net
www.soethic.net

So Ethic vouches for this Shiraz that tastes divine!

2010-07-28T17:08:00.000+10:00

For the launch of So Ethic, we were on a hunt for #organic wine that was chemical free and made in local Australia. Within few hours of sending a tweet out for the best organic wines in Melbourne, we were offered to taste this divine "Good night the fox" Shiraz. Although the wine is not yet certified organic, we were happy with the efforts taken to keep it chemical free. Besides, knowing that it was handmade by a trusted person we were happy to bring it home :)

Here's a little story about the wine sent to me by Scott whose father Ross makes this wine all by himself:

Ross Gregory planted the vineyard in 2003 and has enjoyed 3 vintages to date. Ross maintains the 2 acre vineyard, performing all of the year round tasks by hand. When it comes time to pick, a regular group of friends gather to help out and enjoy some of the local product. Ross also farms Dorpa sheep on the property and plans to develop an organic vegetable garden and orchard.

From the label:

Goodnight the fox Shiraz is produced from a single boutique vineyard on the slopes of an extinct volcano near Carisbrook, Central Victoria. Here the weathered, stony soils produce grapes of intense flavour. Grown without herbicides or synthetic chemicals, the grapes are hand-picked and aged in French oak to enhance the red berry and spice flavours. This velvet textured wine has a rich, deep colour, mild tannins and a lingering finish.

Ross is currently selling the 2008 Shiraz at a meager $80 per case! 2009 Shiraz will go into the bottle in around 2 months (pricing TBA).

If any of you would like to purchase a case they can call Ross on 0419514086 or Scott on 0400000033 and they will organise cases which can be picked up from the Caulfield North area.

Share the love folks, its all for a good cause!

mail@soethic.net

www.soethic.net

Meredith Nadine shares some love

2010-07-22T14:01:00.000+10:00

Click here to see her beautiful blog post :@SoEthic, Launching Ethical Designer-Fashion

Style Wilderness: So Ethic, So Melbourne

2010-07-19T20:36:00.000+10:00

Another great post on the So Ethic launch by Style Wilderness which you can see by clicking Style Wilderness: So Ethic, So Melbourne.
She favorites designs by the Ethical Fashion Lord in India- Samant Chauhan

So Ethic launch event #organicwine #meatlessinMelbourne

2010-07-19T20:24:00.000+10:00

Get the first view of the So Ethic launch event on fellow tweeter @Melburnian's blog here: That Melburnian's blog..

So Ethic...Ethical fashion hub in Melbourne

2010-06-12T13:22:00.000+10:00

Samant Chauhan SS10. Pic by Raghubir Singh

Australia's first not-for-profit high end Ethical fashion store, bringing you the best Ethical Fashion labels from across the globe.

So Ethic boasts of the latest trends in fashion garments and accessories. All the collections are either made of natural fibres and its eco-friendly or follow ethical standards for their production.. Every time you spend your cents here be proud of making an ethical choice because this is all for a good cause!

All profits made from this store are sent to a reputed organisations empowering the workers in Rural areas, to buy their craft/fabric and to create a conducive market for them. These products will in-turn be sold at the store to ensure a continuous market for the ethically made marvels. So Ethic will NOT send cash proceeds to anybody without giving them work. The idea is to promote the crafts and ethical materials by giving them a market and not to make them look needy and offer money.

Thanks to the initiatives embodied by the pioneer niche brands, ethical fashion is now made up of brands concerned about taking man and his environment into consideration. Organic, fair, traditional and recyclable are the watchwords for this school of thought.

What is Ethical Fashion?

Ethical Fashion is an umbrella term to describe ethical fashion design, production, retail, and purchasing. It covers a range of issues such as working conditions, exploitation, fair trade, sustainable production, the environment, and animal welfare.

SO ETHIC will be for a hub of designers whose business is classified as ethical. You are an Ethical designer if your business involves:

Recycling
Organic materials
Natural materials
Fair trade
Work with minorities
Work with local artisans/traditional skills/crafts.

We hope that you will navigate through the pages above and write to us for any questions/feedback that you have.

Love and peace,

Bhakti

☏ +61 (03) 98276062
Mob: +61 450 725511
www.soethic.net

Facebook:So Ethic | Twitter: SoEthic | Skype: SoEthic

Amazing Textures by Designer Samant Chauhan

2010-06-11T14:09:00.000+10:00

Watch on YouTube - samant chauhan

The light fabric from a small village in India all set to dress up into a lovely evening gown for a runway show in Paris. The textures are to die for! Samant Chauhan proves it yet again, he has no parallel in India for chic Ethical Fashion.

2010-06-10T22:41:00.001+10:00

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Use less Plastic, Save our oceans

2010-06-07T15:11:00.000+10:00

Devil from the dark- AW10 by Samant Chauhan has arrived in Melbourne!

2010-06-07T10:15:00.000+10:00

Samant Chauhan from India brings to So Ethic his AW10 “Devil from the dark”

A collection that makes dark ambient with confusing, deep, sometimes mechanical atmosphere. Inspired with dark side of psyche, modern world, false dogmas, philosophy and death. He has dedicated this collection to his favorite designer Alexander McQueen who has now left us with only his memories, some real and others very dark and surreal.

The story behind this inspiration is a witch who has cast a spell on the protagonist never to see the day light again. A spell to turn his heart into stone, mind into a deep well, his blood into ashes and his very existence into a soulless pit.

The LORD of ETHICAL FASHION in India, Chauhan surprises us with his choice of Black and keeps the momentum going with the use of his signature silks and other indigenous fabrics from Bhagalpur.

The enticing cuts are simple while the textures are intricate and complex. Black flowers and fine lines make a deliberate entry into the slim body hugging dresses while the long flowing skirts transcend away into the endless darkness of the night. The unique silhouettes and intricate hand made textures are ones to watch out for.

mail@soethic.net

So Ethic's special World Environment day give away!!!

2010-06-05T11:21:00.000+10:00

Love these beautifully handcrafted bamboo mix Sunglasses?? They are a welcome fresh concept of a fashion statement..

You have a chance to win this SO ETHIC's first ever giveaway to mark the occasion of World Environment Day 2010, today the 5th of June 2010.

Bamboo is the planets fastest growing wood resource and can grow up to 60cm in one day, to celebrate this UnitDot Eyewear which bases all its sunglasses and optical lenses around a bamboo foundation launched in the UK recently and SO ETHIC is the only place in Australia to have them!

You can choose ANY ONE of the above three styles worth $140 each. We will have the pair sent to the winner ANYWHERE in Australia soon after the draw is announced at 7 pm, 8th June, Tuesday (Melbourne time).

If you'd like to go in the draw simply:-
1. Follow this blog or "LIKE" the So Ethic's Facebook page.
2. Blog, tweet or post on your wall details of this giveaway
and
3. Post a comment HERE on the blog or on the face-book PAGE to let me know that you have done the above and stand a chance by going in the draw for the Unidot Sunglass from the UK.

Too easy really!!!

The lucky winner will be drawn on Tuesday 8 June 2010.
Good Luck!
Team So Ethic
mail@soethic.net