“Using waste coffee grounds is part of this effort to create beautiful products and contribute to a healthier planet,” says Kabir Singh, designer of The Shop.

Ensembles from the Coffee Dyed Collection

The Shop is a one-year old store run by a family business in Indiranagar that focuses on producing objects of beautiful living. Their inspiration is hand crafted textile, an awakening of traditional art, an observance of individuality and the realisation of living in a sacred space. Their passion is reviving crafts communities by integrating contemporary design with the expert workmanship of traditional craft.

“At 50, older, wiser and more compassionate, we believe in leading the way towards harmonious living, especially in light of our planetary health crisis. Sustainability and social responsibility have become our core values,” opens Kabir Singh, designer and MD, The Shop.

With a wide product range that consists of summer dresses, nightwear, tops, trousers, men’s wear, bed linen, table linen, kitchen, clothing, nightwear, kids, stoles and bags, they actively support the work of an NGO called Disha in bringing hope to the street children of Kolkata and the KDML School in Madikeri, Kodagu — that educates children with special needs.

Ensembles from the Coffee Dyed Collection

“Since the inception of The Shop in 1969, we have been working with traditional techniques like kalamkari, ajrakh, bhag and many more. The team at The Shop now looks at expanding and exploring more sustainable printing techniques and coffee is our newest excitement. We have had a Blue Tokai Coffee Shop at our workshop for many years. While we have been enjoying their coffee for a long time, we never thought of getting inspiration for our textiles from their excellent coffee. We regularly have design team meetings where we look at ways to innovate with new eco-friendly materials and practices. Using waste coffee grounds is part of this effort to create beautiful products and contribute to a healthier planet. The coffee collection is part of our larger Terra range which includes products dyed and printed using natural, vegetable and plant based ingredients,” explains Kabir as we catch up with him for a quick conversation around their newest edit, the Coffee Dyed Collection launched recently to coincide with the 1st anniversary of their new store.

Ensemble from the Coffee Dyed Collection

Tell us about the new collection, what was it inspired by?

The new Coffee Dyed Collection, is yet another drive to create something sustainable in the world of fast fashion. It reflects our commitment to sustainability by using leftover coffee residues from our inhouse cafe, Blue Tokai and also nearby cafes to create rich, warm and natural dyes.

Is this edit a part of a series?

It is a part of the Terra range, more specifically we use vegetable dyes in the Terra range but in this new one, its leftover brewed coffee. This collection is unique and will surely be a trendsetter because it embraces a zero-waste approach, using coffee residues as dye. It’s a step further in our journey towards eco-friendly fashion and a mindful way to dispose of coffee waste produced in mass.

Are there any motifs or designs that are specific to this collection?

The collection is printed using block printed techniques and the motifs and designs used are classics to The Shop. This is because we wanted to compliment the age old traditional block printing with the new and evolving coffee dyed patterns.

Do take us through the colour palette used in this edit?

The colour palette includes warm browns, deep mocha, caramel hues and soft beige — all derived from coffee. These tones create a cozy, inviting aesthetic perfect for any wardrobe.

Ensemble from the Coffee Dyed Collection

What are the fabrics you have chosen for this collection?

We’ve chosen natural fabrics like cotton voile and cambric, which absorb the coffee dye beautifully and ensure comfort and breathability.

What are the silhouettes we can look forward to?

The collection includes The Shop’s own styles like begum kurta, tara tunic, angel tops, kimonos, PJ sets, lounge pants and men’s kurtas both in long and short styles all designed to offer ease and elegance. Also look forward to eco products like table linen mats, napkins, bed linen, cushions, kitchen curtains bags, scarves, nightwear, loungewear, tops, dresses and pants, that are not part of the collection but are available at the store.

INR 1,500 onwards. At Indiranagar.

Email: romal@newindianexpress.com / X: @elromal

source: http://www.indulgexpress.com / Indulge, Indian Express / Home> New Launches / by Roman Laisram / July 27th, 2024