Nandini Tyagi
It’s like wearing heritage on your sleeve” says Khushboo Agarwal, Creative Director of Zaitra Clothing - a brand name synonymous with upcycling sarees. Modern or traditional, an Indian woman will always have sarees stored, hung or forgotten in their closets. Sometimes they lie in the bottom of traditional trunks, waiting for someone to ask their story. Find THE Saree. The one waiting to be transformed.
‘Passed as heirlooms, gifted by aunts, mothers and grandmothers they have an emotional quotient that makes disposing or selling them tough.‘That’s where we step in, ' explains Khushboo.
Her UP-Saree project aims to redesign and reshape old sarees and breathe new life to age old textile traditions, making them both modern and comfortable. Check for the fabric strength. Consider fusing it with another fabric, preferably cotton, to strengthen it. “In fabric fusing, an adhesive resin is applied to one side of the interlining and bonded to another piece of fabric by applying heat and pressure.
Much depends on the saree fabric in question. Not all old sarees need to be fused.” adds Khushboo. Have a close look at the design, borders, prints if any. Keep some references ready. Freeze on what you would like to upcycle your saree into. Based on that, zero in on the patterns and placements. You can hand draw the design template with tailor’s chalk onto the fabric itself or print one you found online. Check and recheck the pattern run and sizing before making the first cut. “The best part about upcycling a saree is that you already have a ready canvas, the tough part is that there is no scope for mistake due to the limited amount of fabric. So, if you don’t have a knack for cutting or sewing, take help.” Khushboo advises. Ask a tailor or anyone with a know-how to sew the pieces together, creating a sustainable piece that spells memory and modernity, all at once.
“UP-saree started as a small personal project in my design studio. I wanted to repurpose my mother’s old saree that I couldn’t get myself to give away into something more in-tune with my personal style.” The idea took seed from there and before long people were sending sarees into her studio to upcycle. Khushboo believes everyone can participate in sustainability through upcycling a saree. It keeps the emotions alive and also tells a story - of the timelessness of sarees.
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