India Handmade Collective is a group of eco-friendly, handmade brands, which will be showcasing fashion, beauty, and more this August in Chennai and September in Bangalore.
In a world flooded with fast fashion and polyester-based products, it’s time we ask ourselves: why are we more willing to pay for plastic than for something that honors our planet and our people? The fashion industry contributes to 20% of global water pollution, largely due to materials like polyester that shed microplastics; polluting waterways, irritating skin, and eventually entering our digestive systems. That’s where IHMC comes in; they are an organization with the mission of promoting naturally dyed, handspun, handwoven cotton to encourage consumers to feel stylish, comfortable and confident in a way that respects the environment and human health. “Natural dyeing and handweaving are lost art forms which passionate artisans are working to revive”, says Mahima Thangappan, the coordinator of IHMC. The organization was founded in 2020 in response to the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nearly 40 lakh local Indian artisans. By offering a platform for weavers, spinners, and small producers, IHMC promotes 100 % sustainable clothing and handcrafted goods and connects them with eco-conscious consumers nationwide. IHMC aims to raise awareness about the challenges faced by artisan communities, while fighting against overconsumption and environmental harm in the fashion industry. To spotlight this mission, IHMC will host a Natural Dye Handmade Festival in Chennai from August 29-31st and in Bangalore from September 19-21st.
The Chennai festival will be held at CP Arts Centre, No1 Eldams Road, Alwarpet, Chennai 600018 and the Bangalore festival will be held at Bangalore International Center, Domlur, Bangalore 560071. The Festivals will feature the following brands: Nature Alley, Tula, MGGSS Foundation, Tinctoria, Sahajaallika Project, Terrabarn, Konnai, Temple Vibes, Porunai Ecocrafters, Porgai, Khamir, Moral Fibre, Booksmith Bindery, Sukalpa Ecostore, Elephant in you, Mrudu by Udaya and Qalambatik. These brands offer a wide range of eco-friendly handicraft products, such as naturally dyed, handspun, handwoven cotton, which can only be made through intricate techniques performed by talented artisans. An example of this style of fabric is Muslin, for which production died down significantly due to the hampering of the Indian textile industry by the British Empire, but artisans such as those IHMC is associated with, work hard to keep the tradition alive. In fact, the Festival will feature hand spinning and hand weaving on the spot for customers to view and participate in! The festival will also feature fabrics with traditional prints like Ecoprinting, Batik and Kalamkari, clothing ranging from dresses and sarees to tops and pants, Terracotta Jewellery, cloth diapers and menstrual products and woven baskets. What’s even more exciting, there will be a unique range of workshops for customers to participate in: Embroidery, Batik, Sound Healing, Terracotta Jewellery making and Traditional Games! This festival truly aims to keep traditional, natural handicrafts alive and allow customers to feel confident, comfortable and fashionable in a way that is safe for the environment.
Even foreign brands have started to acknowledge and appreciate the value of Indian handmade products made by our local artisans and sell them for a hefty obnoxious cost. So, it’s time for us Indians, to wake up and embrace our own heritage and value the products made by our weavers and artisans.
IHMC has held several festivals in the past, across Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai. At the most recent festival held in Hyderabad, the featured brands reached up to 400 customers. One customer says, “I enjoyed seeing the genuine handmade collections at this festival!” Want to experience the beauty of sustainable handicrafts yourself? Join us this August and September to celebrate craftsmanship, sustainability, and heritage at the IHMC Natural Dye Handmade Festival, where every thread tells a story, and every purchase supports a more conscious, connected future. IHMC’s campaign is being driven by Sweta Jhunjhunwala, a veteran in Media and Digital Marketing, whose expertise is bringing the vision alive with impactful, engaging storytelling.
