Mining for precious metals and gemstones has devastating environmental impacts, from contamination of waterways, to greenhouse gas emissions, and soil erosion. Moreover, the jewelry industry often involves child labor and inhumane working conditions. While several multi-national jewelers are adopting responsible practices for sourcing gold, silver and gemstones, my preference is to opt for recycled and… Continue reading Upcycling Indian jewelry
If you’ve ever had that dreaded “I have nothing to wear” moment, this project’s for you. In today’s culture of fast fashion, there’s often pressure to own the latest styles and always have something new to wear. To meet these unrealistic expectations, women are turning to inexpensive, mass-produced lehengas that are becoming easier to find… Continue reading A printed sari gets a makeover
Festival season is right around the corner, but that doesn’t mean you have to go out a buy a new outfit (and create more waste!). With a little creativity and just a few new materials, you can take an old sari and transform it into a party-ready, modern lehenga. For this project, I upcycled a… Continue reading Sari transformed to a party-ready lehenga
When life gives you lemons…upcycle! This project stemmed from an ironing mishap. The pallu of a South Indian silk sari was damaged beyond repair by a too-hot iron. What was left was about 5 yards of beautiful rose pink fabric that we upcycled into a high-waist lehenga. For a modern, figure-flattering look, we created a… Continue reading Sari 911 – Two lehenga looks from one damaged sari
An outdated sari can be upcycled into just about any modern outfit. Tucked away in my mom’s closet was a vintage brocade sari, worn by my paternal grandmother more than 35 years ago to my parents’ wedding. Although a beautiful piece, the sari was too short for either my mom or I to wear. Interested… Continue reading Sari, not sari
My upcycling journey was inspired by a passion for environmental sustainability and also by my grandmother, a true re-fashionista. My grandmother had several saris from her bridal trousseau that had been with her for nearly 60 years — including a remnant of a lehenga worn by her mother nearly 75 years ago. These pieces held… Continue reading Heirloom saris upcycled into evening stoles
india reFashioned 