Our Circular Practices
A circular product with a sustainable story.
Reducing our environmental impact has been important to us since the beginning. And this means being mindful and creative at every step of the material selection, design, production and retail.
Diverting Plastic Waste
Yup, that’s our main thing. We handcraft our products with discarded plastic that would have otherwise ended up in the landfill or the ocean, adding to the global plastic waste crisis.
Zero-waste Practices
Any plastic scraps generated during the making of the woven fabric is donated to recycling initiatives.
Our designs are zero-waste – the plastic woven fabrics are custom-made to avoid cutting during the tailoring. Any waste generated is also donated to recycling initiatives.
No New Plastic
Our fabrics are circular – plastic waste for the weft and naturally dyed organic cotton (instead of conventional nylon) for the warp are hand woven on traditional looms.
Our zips are made from recycled PET.
Our packaging is plastic-free – from the recycled cardboard box to the paper tape.
No Animal Products, No Toxic Chemicals
We are a 100% vegan. We do not use animal products or by-products like leather, for example. Neither do we use its alternatives like fake leather that are made of harmful, plastic-based materials.
The plastic woven fabrics are tailored in combination with organic cotton that is naturally or azo-free dyed as opposed to conventional chemical dyes that are toxic and harmful.
Empowering Artisans
Our woven products are handcrafted in Kutch, Gujarat using traditional, local, family-run handloom weaving skills, thus reviving the crafts of the region and empowering artisan communities.
Apart from this, the plastic weaving initiative provides employment to waste collectors, medium-skilled weavers, home-based workers, senior citizens and prison inmates.
Fair Trade Tailoring
Our woven products are tailored at the Self Help Centre, a certified fair trade, self-help NGO in Mumbai.
Sadly, they shut down in 2021 due to Covid, but we continue to work with and support their tailoring community.
We keep it Honest
We believe in making things in a way that is better for the future of people and the planet.
We have a lot of plans to improve our impact, plans that we are implementing slowly but surely every year. One of the ways to radically improve Théla is to stay accessible and welcome conversation. Get in touch with us if you have suggestions or if you need help with any of our resources. We’d love to chat.