Two major Indian apparel brands go organic

When it comes to going green, has two large Indian apparel brands take the lead. Van House and Arrow has come up with 100 percent organic lines made of cotton, flax and natural dyes, doing their bit for the environment and also raise awareness among consumers.

Chital Mehta, Chief Operating Officer of Van House, said: "Limited resources and increased productivity have been the natural environment around us under enormous pressure. Reason enough for us (Van House) to get serious about starting down the green path.

"It is a deliberate attempt to make us all understand the importance of being Earth-friendly. Even something as small as weeds are removed the cotton crop has been done without physical dependence on chemical killers," Mehta told IANS.

Arrow's product manager Punit Chauhan said: "The way the world is coming, we feel it is vital for us to create an awareness among us so that we can help to conserve nature and our eco-system."

"The need to bring awareness among consumers at this time is crucial for any organization," he added.

While Van House’s eco-friendly clothing range starts at Rs.1, 599, like their other clothes, Arrow's line is slightly higher compared to their normal line.

Mehta explains tedious effort that goes behind churning out an eco-friendly line.

"Everyone has been made to ensure that no artificial or chemical substances used in this line. Balancing the population of insects using trap crops to lure pests away is just another example of how committed we (Van House) is with this line, "explained Mehta.

"And what better way to reap the benefits of these efforts than to follow the natural cycles and harvest cotton when it is absolutely clear," he said.

Arrow plans to expand its green efforts to introduce and use more natural fibers and recyclable collections.

The initiative was well received by customers all over India.

Jitin Gulati, 29, who works in an MNC and goes to cotton wear, believes action is appropriate, because a lot of people are looking for fashion brands, offering an organic line.

"There are so many like me who believe in going organic, and we are always looking for new labels that offer genuine organic products. They are expensive, but still give us satisfaction that we are doing our bit," Gulati said .

"This move is very timely, because not many branded labels have an eco-friendly line. Designers who fabricated a series of green is too expensive, but their (Arrow and Van House) is affordable," he added.