From upcycled to zero-waste to natural fabric-users, here’s your guide to the sustainable fashion brands in India that every slow-fashion-lover should know about.
Hello! As we know people are turning to organic and environmentally friendly products ranging from accessories to food, interior decors and of course, fashion. So, what do we mean by sustainable fashion? Sustainable fashion creates fashion in a way that is more thoughtful for humanity and the environment, minimizing environmental impact wherever possible.
The ultimate goal is a system that works without leaving a negative footprint. Therefore, many Indian designers and top sustainable fashion brands are taking a step towards slow fashion and living. They are trying to change the practices of the fashion industry by putting people and the planet before anything else.
“Clothes aren’t going to change the world, the women who wear them will!” – Anne Klein
Based on the following criteria we have researched the top sustainable fashion brands in India.
- Brand history and development
- Sustainable efforts
- Product categories available
- Popularity on the internet
- Price range
- Social media reach
- Number of stores
and many more… Finally, after researching a lot, we are very excited to publish our rankings for the top sustainable fashion brands.
Top Sustainable Fashion Brands: Industry Rankings
Data comparison shows that the way sustainable fashion brands differentiate themselves varies only slightly. Most of them are not zero-waste, although all use organic fabrics and ethical practices. Only a few offer upcycled fashion. On an average, these brands are 10 years old and offer 2-3 product categories including men’s and women’s clothing, accessories and home products. On average, they have 5 stores across the country and are most active on Instagram.
| Slub Rank | Brand | Zero Waste | Organic Fabrics | Ethical Practices | Upcycled Fashion | Year Est. | Price Point – Low (INR) | Price Point – High (INR) | Product Categories | No. of Stores | Instagram Followers | Twitter Followers | Facebook Followers | Slub Score |
| 1 | Nicobar | No | Yes | Yes | No | 2014 | ₹ 60 | ₹28,500 | 4 | 11 | 142,000 | 105,008 | 3005 | |
| 2 | 11:11 | No | Yes | Yes | No | 2015 | ₹ 490 | ₹40,000 | 4 | 27 | 34,500 | 829 | 7,358 | 2774 |
| 3 | Bhusattva | No | Yes | Yes | No | 2009 | ₹ 1,800 | ₹ 75,000 | 3 | 1 | 1,477 | 300 | 66,776 | 2326 |
| 4 | Ethicus | No | Yes | Yes | No | 2009 | ₹ 3,500 | ₹80,800 | 1 | 1 | 12,400 | 69 | 20,892 | 2062 |
| 5 | Upasana | No | Yes | Yes | No | 1997 | ₹ 380 | ₹21,400 | 3 | 16 | 9,835 | 13,543 | 1974 | |
| 6 | Jodi | No | Yes | Yes | No | 2014 | ₹ 300 | ₹25,000 | 4 | 6 | 105,000 | 21,583 | 1907 | |
| 7 | No Nasties | No | Yes | Yes | No | 2011 | ₹ 400 | ₹ 7,000 | 2 | 4 | 15,100 | 1,310 | 22,609 | 1548 |
| 8 | Blabel | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | 2013 | ₹ 356 | ₹ 2,900 | 4 | 6 | 4,418 | 95 | 4,632 | 1026 |
| 9 | Wearsui | No | Yes | Yes | No | 2016 | ₹ 500 | ₹10,000 | 2 | 8 | 13,000 | 2,516 | 976 | |
| 10 | Naushad Ali | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2014 | ₹ 2,000 | ₹15,000 | 2 | 2 | 10,600 | 4,950 | 974 | |
| 11 | I was a sari | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2013 | ₹ 200 | ₹ 7,000 | 3 | 1 | 7,340 | 92 | 3,595 | 856 |
| 12 | Indigene | No | Yes | Yes | No | 2011 | ₹ 300 | ₹ 12,500 | 2 | 1 | 10,900 | 13,314 | 855 | |
| 13 | Ayurganic | No | Yes | Yes | No | 2011 | ₹ 799 | ₹ 9,000 | 3 | 1 | 5,042 | 1,501 | 716 | |
| 14 | Maati by NK | No | Yes | Yes | No | 2017 | ₹ 50 | ₹ 3,000 | 2 | 5 | 3,716 | 481 | 628 | |
| 15 | And begin again | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2018 | ₹ 200 | ₹ 7,000 | 3 | 1 | 1,751 | 95 | 566 | |
| 16 | Shibui | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2018 | ₹ 150 | ₹ 5,500 | 2 | 0 | 2,028 | 349 | 536 | |
| 17 | Basiclly | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 2019 | ₹ 1,800 | ₹ 3,500 | 1 | 0 | 3,665 | 132 | 383 |
1. Nicobar
Nicobar is a Delhi based hand-crafted sustainable brand established in 2014. It is part of a multi-brand company Good Earth, which is also a luxury sustainable retail brand. Known for its eco-friendly practices like nature-inspired designs and materials, the brand takes inspiration from oceans to other natural elements. They have a large range of categories from clothing and travel-wear to home decor items like jewelry, trousers, bags, kurtas, and so on. Price ranges between ₹60 to ₹28,500.
It is also a brand with ethical and fair trade practices. This brand has also expanded into other areas like NicoCaara (restaurant with both modern and traditional cuisines with sustainable choices), and Nicojournal (which mentions special diaries of Nicobar and Nicocaara events). It has stores across India from Delhi to Chennai.
| Rank | 1 |
| Brand | Nicobar |
| Year Established | 2014 |
| Website | nicobar.com |
| Online Popularity | 99 |
| Price Range (INR) | ₹60 to ₹28,500 |
| Sustainable Practices | Natural fabrics & clothing, Handcrafted |
| Categories | Women’s wear, Menswear, Accessories, Home Products |
| 142000 | |
| – | |
| 105008 | |
| No. of Stores | 11 |
| Slub Score | 3005 |
2. 11.11/ Eleven Eleven
11.11 / Eleven Eleven is a Delhi based sustainable pret label established in 2015. It is known for its ethical practices such as making connections between farmers, weavers and natural resources. They cater to a large market from both menswear and womenswear to homeware items for example dresses, shirts, joggers, quilts, kitchen gloves, and much more. Price ranges between ₹490 to ₹40,000.
According to their company statement, their vision is to build meaningful/beautiful products by tracing the supply chain story from seed to stitch. 11.11 has several stores around the world from India to France and Japan.
| Rank | 2 |
| Brand | 11.11 |
| Year Established | 2015 |
| Website | 11-11.in |
| Online Popularity | 80 |
| Price Range (INR) | ₹490 to ₹40000 |
| Sustainable Practices | Organic fashion and ethical practices |
| Categories | Men’s and Women’s clothing, Accessories, Home Products |
| 34500 | |
| 829 | |
| 7358 | |
| No. of Stores | 27 |
| Slub Score | 2774 |
3. Bhu: sattva
Bhu: sattva is an Ahmedabad (Gujarat) based sustainable brand launched in 2009. It claims to have ‘started green’ instead of ‘going green’. It’s one of India’s top sustainable fashion brands to introduce fair trade and sustainability concepts in the entire supply chain. It has both menswear and womenswear, along with the accessories such as, lehengas, bags, pants, etc. The prices of their products range between ₹1800 to ₹75,000.
Bhu: Sattva tries to revive famous art forms from different regions of India and include it in their products that also last longer. Their main store is in Ahmedabad, Gujarat as well as an online store.
| Rank | 3 |
| Brand | Bhusattva |
| Year Established | 2009 |
| Website | bhusattva.com |
| Online Popularity | 58 |
| Prices (INR) | ₹1800 to ₹75,000 |
| Sustainable Practices | Organic fabrics, Reviving art forms |
| Categories | Womenswear, Menswear, Accessories |
| 1477 | |
| 300 | |
| 66776 | |
| Stores | 1 |
| Slub Score | 2326 |
4. Ethicus
Ethicus is a Tamil Nadu based organic brand established in 2009. It is the first organic farm in India to have a clothing brand among the top sustainable fashion brands. This brand is exclusively for women and sells handcrafted sarees and stoles. The most expensive among sustainable fashion brands in India, the prices of Ethicus products range between ₹3500 and ₹80,800.
They work towards making products of highest quality using ecological cotton yarn and fine craftsmen. Their main store is in Tamil Nadu.
| Rank | 4 |
| Brand | Ethicus |
| Year Established | 2009 |
| Website | ethicus.in |
| Online Popularity | 72 |
| Price (INR) | ₹3500 to ₹80,800 |
| Sustainable Practices | Handwoven and handcrafted using ecological yarns |
| Categories | Womenswear |
| 12400 | |
| 69 | |
| 20892 | |
| Stores | 1 |
| Slub Score | 2062 |
5. Upasana
Upasana is a clothing company located in Auroville, Tamil Nadu established in 1997 – the oldest in this list. It is known for its creativity in slow fashion along with giving social empowerment to farmers and those who have lost their livelihoods in disasters such as tsunamis, etc. It caters to a large market from menswear to womenswear and accessories, for example, jackets, shirts, dresses, bags, and more. Price ranges from ₹380 to ₹21,400.
They use organic fabrics from all over India to make their collections. Upasana has many stores across India from Auroville to Goa and Chennai to Pondicherry.
| Rank | 5 |
| Brand | Upasana |
| Year Established | 1997 |
| Website | upasana.in |
| Online Popularity | 87 |
| Price (INR) | ₹380 to ₹21,400 |
| Sustainable Practices | Social empowerment, Fair trade |
| Categories | Women & Men’s clothing, Accessories |
| 9835 | |
| – | |
| 13543 | |
| No. of Stores | 16 |
| Slub Score | 1974 |
6. Jodi
Jodi is a Pune based organic label established in 2014. It is known for its natural Indian textiles incorporated with traditional block printing techniques. It has a wide range of products from clothing to home decor items like shirts, crop tops, masks, wall art, etc. Their price range starts from ₹300 and goes up to ₹25,000.
However, each collection brings affordable, super cool fashion and lifestyle. They have an online store as well as a non- virtual store in Pune.
| Rank | 6 |
| Brand | Jodi |
| Year Established | 2014 |
| Website | thejodilife.com |
| Online Popularity | 91 |
| Price (INR) | ₹300 to ₹25,000 |
| Sustainable Practices | Organic clothing Ethical |
| Categories | Women + Menswear, Accessories, Home Products |
| 105000 | |
| – | |
| 21583 | |
| No. of Stores | 6 |
| Slub Score | 1907 |
7. No Nasties
No Nasties is a Goa-based organic brand established in 2011. It is known for its vegan and fair-trade practices, also helping farmers, factory workers, animals, and others. It has menswear, womenswear and kidswear clothing, for example, shirts, hoodies, scarves, trousers, etc. Their products cost between ₹400 to ₹7000.
This is one of the top sustainable fashion brands that also uses 100% certified PETA fabrics. They have the main store in Goa and their stockists are found across the world from Asia to New Zealand and Europe.
Also read: Animals Are Not Ours to Use: PETA’s Sachin Bangera On Ethical Fashion
| Rank | 7 |
| Brand | No Nasties |
| Year Established | 2011 |
| Website | nonasties.in |
| Online Popularity | 97 |
| Price (INR) | ₹400 to ₹7000 |
| Sustainable Practices | Organic, Fair trade, Vegan clothing |
| Categories | Women and Menswear |
| 15100 | |
| 1310 | |
| 22609 | |
| No. of Stores | 4 |
| Slub Score | 1548 |
8. B Label
B Label/Bombay Hemp Company is a Mumbai agro-based sustainable enterprise launched in 2013. Besides being one of the sustainable fashion brands, they are working towards re-imagining the future of Indian agriculture and sustainable living with hemp fabric. It has both menswear and womenswear to home decor items like cushion covers, jackets, tops, bottoms, and many more. The price range of their products is between ₹350 to ₹2500.
The company is also one of the only 3 sustainable fashion brands in India that strives for a carbon negative footprint. Their main store is in Mumbai and other shops are at Ahmedabad and Uttarakhand to Goa and Pune.
| Rank | 8 |
| Brand | Blabel |
| Year Established | 2013 |
| Website | blabel.in |
| Online Popularity | 100 |
| Price Range (INR) | ₹356 to ₹2900 |
| Sustainable Practices | Zero Waste, Organic fabrics, Ethical |
| Categories | Womens+Menswear, Accessories, and Home Products |
| 4418 | |
| 95 | |
| 4632 | |
| No. of Stores | 6 |
| Slub Score | 1026 |
9. Wearsui
Sui is a Delhi based conscious fashion label founded in 2016. Their goal is to make sustainability fun, accessible, and bridge the gap between nature & fashion ethically. It caters to a large market of women’s clothing, for example, masks, tees, skirts, jumpsuits, etc. Their products’ price range is between ₹500 to ₹10,000.
The brand uses natural fabrics, from hemp and tencel to organic cotton and recycled fabric. Their main store is in Delhi and stockists are at various places from Mumbai to Bangalore and Malaysia to Singapore.
| Rank | 9 |
| Brand | Wearsui |
| Year Established | 2016 |
| Website | wearesui.com |
| Online Popularity | 74 |
| Price (INR) | ₹500 to ₹10,000 |
| Sustainable Practices | Handcrafted & eco-fabrics |
| Categories | Womenswear and Accessories |
| 13000 | |
| – | |
| 2516 | |
| No. of Stores | 8 |
| Slub Score | 976 |
10. Naushad Ali
Naushad Ali is a Pondicherry based designer label established in 2014. It is known for its combination of organic and Indian handcrafted collections in an ethical way. It caters to the market of both menswear and womenswear such as dresses, jackets, scarves, and much more. Price ranges from ₹2000 to ₹15,000.
They have one main store and the other is a studio, that both are in Pondicherry.
| Rank | 10 |
| Brand | Naushad Ali |
| Year Established | 2014 |
| Website | naushadali.in |
| Online Popularity | 70 |
| Price Range (INR) | ₹2000 to ₹15,000 |
| Sustainable Practices | Zero Waste, Organic clothing, Ethical, Upcycled fashion |
| Categories | Women and Menswear |
| 10600 | |
| – | |
| 4950 | |
| No. of Stores | 2 |
| Slub Score | 974 |
11. I was a Sari
I was a sari is a Mumbai based upcycled fashion brand established in 2013. The brand is taking an eco-ethical approach to fashion, giving Indian sarees a new style. It is specifically for women and has products like bags, footwear, dresses, jewelry, and more. Price ranges between ₹200 to ₹7000.
This brand has a partnership with Gucci equilibrium which is the step towards slow and ethical fashion. Their main store is in Mumbai.
| Rank | 11 |
| Brand | I was a Sari |
| Year Established | 2013 |
| Website | iwasasari.com |
| Online Popularity | 63 |
| Prices (INR) | ₹200 to ₹7000 |
| Sustainable Practices | Organic fabric, Ethical, Upcycled fashion |
| Categories | Womenswear, Accessories, Beauty |
| 7340 | |
| 92 | |
| 3595 | |
| Stores | 1 |
| Slub Score | 856 |
12. Indigene
Indigene is a Delhi based conscious clothing label started in 2011. They combine traditional textiles and handcrafted techniques with ethical practices. It caters to a large market of both menswear and womenswear for example tops, kurtas, shirts, bottoms, masks, etc. Their products price ranges from ₹300 to ₹12,500.
Indigene clothing is not only about ease and comfort, but also keeping it stylish yet modest. Their main store and studio are in Delhi.
| Rank | 12 |
| Brand | Indigene |
| Year Established | 2011 |
| Website | indigenecraft.com |
| Online Popularity | 54 |
| Price (INR) | ₹300 to ₹12,500 |
| Sustainable Practices | Handcrafted sustainable clothing |
| Categories | Women’s and Menswear |
| 10900 | |
| – | |
| 13314 | |
| Stores | 1 |
| Slub Score | 855 |
13. Ayurganic
Ayurganic is a Haryana based conscious fashion brand launched in 2011. It uses GOTS certified cotton for their production that is hand treated following ayurvedic recipes. It has both men and women’s clothing from masks and scarves to sweatshirts, pants, and dresses. Their price range starts from ₹790 and goes up to ₹9000.
The garments or (Ayurvastra meaning healthy cloth, respectively in Sanskrit) are been permeated with special herbs and oils, making it chemicals-free. Their main store is in Haryana although their overall production is in Kerala.
| Rank | 13 |
| Brand | Ayurganic |
| Year Established | 2011 |
| Website | ayurganic.com |
| Online Popularity | 25 |
| Price (INR) | ₹799 to ₹9000 |
| Sustainable Practices | Ethical practices, Organic fabric |
| Categories | Womenswear, Menswear, and Accessories |
| 5042 | |
| – | |
| 1501 | |
| Stores | 1 |
| Slub Score | 716 |
14. Maati by Neha Kabra
Maati by Neha Kabra is a Udaipur based contemporary womenswear label launched in 2017. It is known for its up-cycled fashion and use of natural eco-resources with ethically made products. Exclusively for womenswear such as tops, bottoms, masks, etc. Price ranges between ₹50 to ₹3000.
It is also an environmentally friendly, PETA certified brand. Its main store is in Udaipur and their stockists are at Indore, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.
| Rank | 14 |
| Brand | Maati by NK |
| Year Established | 2017 |
| Website | maatibynehakabra.com |
| Online Popularity | 100 |
| Price (INR) | ₹50 to ₹3000 |
| Sustainable Practices | Ethical brand using Organic fabrics |
| Categories | Women’s wear, Accessories |
| 3716 | |
| – | |
| 481 | |
| No. of Stores | 5 |
| Slub Score | 628 |
15. And Begin Again
And Begin Again is a Mumbai based conscious label launched in 2018. As per their brand statement, they have organic and ethical practices using hand-woven fabrics, chemical-free dyes, and so on. It is especially for womenswear from clothing, accessories to beauty products for example tunics, tops, shoes, face creams, lipsticks, and many more. The price range of their products is from ₹200 to ₹7000.
They work with government co-operations for khadi while fine cotton muslin and pure silk come from West Bengal. They have an online-based store and also showcase their products at the Kala Ghoda event, Mumbai.
| Rank | 15 |
| Brand | And begin again |
| Year Established | 2018 |
| Website | andbeginagain.in |
| Online Popularity | 22 |
| Price-Range (INR) | ₹200 to ₹7000 |
| Sustainable Practices | Handwoven, Organic fabrics, Upcycled fashion |
| Categories | Women wear, Accessories, Beauty |
| 1751 | |
| – | |
| 95 | |
| Stores | 1 |
| Slub Score | 566 |
16. Shibui
Shibui is a sustainable conscious brand launched in 2018. With a combination of eco-friendly and recyclable clothing, Shibui claims to manufacture its pieces ethically. It is exclusively for womenswear and accessories, for example, dresses, blazers, tunics, masks, and many more. With a price range between ₹150 to ₹5500, this is one of the sustainable fashion brands that’s also pocket-friendly.
According to their brand statement, every handspun thread and handwoven fabric is 100% harmless, pure, and also has a voice of sustainability. It is an online-based store.
| Rank | 16 |
| Brand | Shibui |
| Year Established | 2018 |
| Website | officialshibui.com |
| Online Popularity | 69 |
| Price (INR) | ₹150 to ₹5500 |
| Sustainable Practices | Zero Waste, Organic fabric, Ethical, Upcycled fashion |
| Categories | Women’s wear, Accessories |
| 2028 | |
| – | |
| 349 | |
| Stores | 0 |
| Slub Score | 536 |
17. Basiclly
Basiclly is a Noida based homegrown clothing brand launched in 2019. They use 100% natural fibers to create handmade, season-less, and long-lasting products. It is a womenswear brand and sells many products for example dresses, tops, bottoms, etc. Products range starting from ₹1800 to ₹3500.
The brand also supports upcycled fashion and slow-living lifestyle. It also has an online store.
| Rank | 17 |
| Brand | Basiclly |
| Year Established | 2019 |
| Website | basiclly.com |
| Online Popularity | 36 |
| Price Range (INR) | ₹1800 to ₹3500 |
| Sustainable Practices | Upcycling wastes, Fair use, Organic fabrics |
| Categories | Women’s wear |
| 3665 | |
| – | |
| 132 | |
| No. of Stores | 0 |
| Slub Score | 383 |
So, as sustainability is becoming a trend nowadays, there are more and more brands beyond these top sustainable fashion brands turning towards organic fashion like Boody, Hneuf, Doodlage, Brown Boy, and many more. Moreover, we can get all products from formal-wear, activewear, and accessories to food and home decor items that are fully environment friendly and also good for our health.
Have you used any of these brands and which is your favorite among the top sustainable fashion brands? Tell us in the comments below or by tweeting us @shilpa1ahuja.
Read next:
Top Western Wear Brands in India from Retail to Online
Aayushi is a Fashion Journalist Intern at ShilpaAhuja.com. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design from Amity University, Mumbai, and is originally from Gujarat. Prior to ShilpaAhuja.com, she worked in an NGO, Kala Raksha Museum, where she worked to promote age-old handicraft traditions. She has also done a diploma in Innovation Management. She loves fashion, music, and to explore new places of different cultures and traditions. Her dream is to become a fashion designer, and along with that she wants to work as a fashion journalist too. Her interests include learning embroidery techniques and graphic design.