Latest news with #R|ElanCircularDesignChallenge
The Hindu
31-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Varshne B's Chennai brand Crcle champions eco fabrics, textile waste
At the age of 13, Varshne B knew she wanted to be a fashion designer. After graduating from NIFT Chennai in 2020, Varshne went on to work with brands like Biskit and Capsul. 'I became increasingly aware of the amount of waste the industry generates. I also noticed the gap between consciously-crafted products and innovative, forward-thinking design. I wanted to create a brand that bridged that gap,' says the 26-year-old, who founded Crcle in 2024. 'The brand's name is testament to the ideology of closing the loop with our community,' says the Chennai-based designer, who is among India's three finalists at R|Elan Circular Design Challenge (CDC). Read more |CDC finalist Farak is blending Indian craft with sustainable streetwear Organised by Reliance Industries' R|Elan (an initiative aimed at promoting sustainable and circular fashion practices), in partnership with the United Nations in India and Lakmē Fashion Week, CDC's finals will be held at Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI this October. Crcle will compete with India finalists Golden Feathers, Farak, and Maximilian Raynor (UK), Martina Boero (Cavia, EU), and Jesica Pullo (BIOTICO, Asia Pacific). A 'conscious clothing and lifestyle brand rooted in circular design, innovation and craft', Varshne's brand crafts gender-neutral T-shirts, shirts, shorts, jackets, and bags. Materials used include weganool (a biodegradable fabric made from calotropis plant fibres), banana leather, corozo buttons (crafted from the tagua nut), among others. 'We also source pre and post consumer textiles, end-of-life textiles, deadstock fabrics, surplus trims, etc from factories and recycling facilities across Tamil Nadu, and integrate them into our collections,' says Varshne, who works with stainless steel scraps and leather offcuts sourced from metal fabrication units and leather factories in Chennai. Now, Varshne is expanding the brand's material base to include traditional handwoven materials like kala cotton, khadi, etc., and handcrafted details such as crochet, natural dyeing, and embroidery. At the CDC competition, her collection, Symbiosis, led her to the finals. 'We imagine a world where innovation doesn't work against Nature but works with it — using systems and materials that mirror Nature's own intelligence and circularity, while taking inspiration from the intricate textures and patterns found in natural forms,' says Varshne. For instance, irregular patterns such as the ridges on tree trunks or bubbles in water have inspired their use of hand-done crochet patches and pintucks on fabrics, the flow of water has been translated into embroidery and surface details that mimic movement, and the use of crush tie-dye 'captures the randomness of Nature. Like how algae or moss grows in patches or how lichen spreads unevenly across stone,' says Varshne, adding that Symbiosis comprises shirts, trousers, jackets, skorts. One of the key highlights, she says, is a multifunctional T-shirt that can convert into a bag. Varshne says Chennai's 'beautiful contrast' also reflects in her work. 'The city is rooted in heritage but always evolving. That balance influences my design aesthetics too; I'm drawn to clean forms with thoughtful, handcrafted details, merging the old with the new. In Chennai, you're constantly aware of the climate — heat, floods, water scarcity — so conversations around resources, waste, and impact feel very real and immediate,' she explains. 'For the finale, we're building on this same concept and the new capsule will be an extension of Symbiosis, taking the idea forward with deeper exploration into materials and design innovation.' As for the unisex silhouettes, their design 'also comes from a very personal place'. 'Even as a kid, I was constantly spotted in oversized T-shirts and shorts, often borrowing clothes from my dad's and brother's wardrobes. That comfort-first, no-label approach to dressing has stayed with me,' says the designer whose latest launches include bags made with stainless steel and leather scraps. Next, Varshne is venturing into the lifestyle space and will be launching coasters made from leather and stainless-steel scraps, and wallets from leather and textile scraps. 'Eventually, I want to make furniture, and other decor accessories using circular materials and handcrafted techniques,' she concludes.
The Hindu
30-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Hindu
Farak to champion eco streetwear at CDC Finals, Lakmé Fashion Week
For 26-year-old Rishabh Kumar, venturing into the world of fashion was not part of his life plan. A national-level athlete (football, long jump, cricket, and triple jump), Rishabh returned to India in 2016 after his schooling in Dubai, and had to drop out of college due to financial issues at home. 'I had a lot of free time, and was drawn towards fashion, particularly streetwear,' says Jaipur-based Rishabh. 'I started visiting artisans and took three years to develop Farak, a brand that I officially launched in 2022 with Rajat Sharma (who comes with a background in exports) as co-founder,' says the entrepreneur who is a finalist at R|Elan Circular Design Challenge (CDC). Organised by Reliance Industries' R|Elan (an initiative aimed at promoting sustainable and circular fashion practices) in partnership with the United Nations in India and Lakmē Fashion Week, the finals will be held at Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI this October. Known for their T-shirts, shirts, jackets, and bombers that spotlight craft techniques such as Bagru and dabu block printing, Farak is based on the idea of representing India's artisan communities. 'I did not have many vendors in Jaipur and decided to champion the craft the city is known for: block printing. Working with blocks isn't possible on polyester so I switched to cotton,' he says, 'I don't have a background in fashion, but I wanted to ensure the artisans get credit for these crafts that have stood the test of time,' he says of the brand that spotlights upcycling techniques. Keeping India's craft culture relevant for younger generations is something Rishabh stresses on. For the CDC competition, he introduced two looks: a dabu block-printed, upcycled hoodie and pant set, and a five-piece upcycled co-ord set. Sustainability came as a by-product. 'For the latter, upcycled cotton fabric was cut into thin stripes and hand-spun into a woven yarn. This went into the fabric of the jacket and pants. The shirt was made with Assam's 'Ahimsa' eri silk, and the turtleneck sleeveless tee was made from leftover surplus cotton T-shirt rib which was further hand-dyed using natural colours,' explains Rishabh, adding that these outfits were created with zero electricity. For the finale, he plans to present womenswear, a category he launched this year. 'I am designing an overcoat with the bagry and tie-dye techniques. Instead of going with traditional fusing, which uses polyester, we are creating a new technique that involves rice starch and resin on fabric,' says Rishabh, who is also working on his Autumn-Winter collection that will be launched in October. The range, he says, will have a refined expression of Indian silhouettes and garments including womenswear inspired from the choli, blouse, Anarkali, to name a few. We are exploring fabrics such as pashmina, cashmere, silk and yak wool, alongside hand-knitted hoodies and jackets by the tribal communities of Gujarat, Assam.' In addition, Farak's collaboration with footwear brand Comet that 'features a 100% cotton, block-printed shoe' will also be launched in November.
Fashion Value Chain
18-07-2025
- Business
- Fashion Value Chain
Elan Circular Design Challenge 2025 Announces Winners
The R|Elan Circular Design Challenge (RCDC), India's premier sustainability-focused fashion award, has revealed its 2025 global finalists. Hosted by Reliance Industries Limited's R|Elan in partnership with the United Nations in India and Lakmē Fashion Week, this year's edition attracted over 190 applications from across 10+ countries, with support from global partners including the British Council, Redress, Fondazione Sozzani, and Fashion Revolution. Indian Finalists: Varshne B (CRCLE): Uses materials like Weganool, banana leather, stainless steel scraps, and post-consumer textiles in a zero-waste, circular design model. Radhesh Agrahari (Golden Feathers): Innovates with chicken feather waste, producing wool-like textiles via a patented, chemical-free, zero-waste process. Rishabh Kumar (Farak): Works with rural artisans, using handspun organic cotton, natural dyes, and traditional block printing—all without electricity or plastic. Global Finalists: UK Winner: Maximilian Raynor repurposes deadstock luxury textiles and vegan leather into zero-waste garments, focusing on rental and reuse. EU Winner: Martina Boero (Cavia) blends Italian craftsmanship with circular practices by upcycling vintage and deadstock materials. APAC & Beyond Winner: Jesica Pullo (BIOTICO) creates couture using post-consumer plastic and industrial waste, while advancing social inclusion through partnerships with disability institutions. Rakesh Bali, Senior VP – Marketing, Reliance Industries, said, 'This platform, born in India and now global in its reach, reflects our deep commitment at Reliance to nurturing a new generation of changemakers—designers who are not only creative but also conscious.' Jaspreet Chandok, Group VP, Reliance Brands Ltd, added, 'CDC is now shaping global conversations on circularity by fostering inclusive and collaborative innovation.' Jury panels across regions included leaders from Vogue India, British Council, Fondazione Sozzani, UNEP, Redress, and sustainability champions like Dia Mirza and Sara Sozzani Maino. What's Next: Finalists will converge at Lakmē Fashion Week x FDCI in October for the Grand Finale. The winner will receive: INR 15 Lakhs seed fund Stand-alone showcase at LFW in March 2026 6-month mentorship with Orsola De Castro & Estethica The runner-up will receive INR 5 Lakhs and mentorship. R|Elan CDC continues to be a powerful global platform driving innovation in circular fashion and sustainability.
