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About Us

 

Welcome to our world of weaves & crafts

Our love for weaves and hues has taken a different turn altogether – from avid shoppers and admirers, we are now advocates of various Indian weaves and crafts. Our story began in 2018 with a trip to Ajrakhpur and Bunavat was born on 27th February in our Founder's home. We started out with curating sarees woven by last mile weavers, with a special focus on lesser known and forgotten weaves. We wanted to tell the stories of the last mile craftspeople and still do!

Our journey so far

Within a few months of starting out we moved to a shared office space with two new members. Traveling to new clusters, we learnt about new weaves, crafts, about the lives of people in the communities and documented these journeys as a blog.

In 2019, we started design intervention in the clusters and launched our own label 'Advika', which still formed a small part of our overall collection. We conducted many offline exhibitions and received a lot of love for the authentic collections we showcased.

In addition, we started our community programs focused on upskilling of weavers and also philanthropic initiatives in the communities. We also launched our first small apparel collection. By 2020, we had our own office space in Gurugram, had a larger team and worked with over 1200 artisans in 36 villages across 11 States of India.

Bunavat 2.0

In January 2022, we took a reflective pause. We took time to introspect, gather our learnings, identify our strengths and work on our weaknesses. We finally decided to go the designing route and forgo curation completely.

We wanted to be more focused on sustainability and therefore decided to undertake small batch production. Bunavat 2.0 is our take on contemporary design aesthetics while being rooted in age-old craft traditions.

Our Philosophy

We are a for-profit social enterprise that is centered on the idea that businesses can and should be a force for positive social and environmental change, while also promote economic growth and cultural heritage preservation. We believe that clothing should not be disposable, but rather cherished and worn for years to come and hence focus on creating products that are sustainable, high quality, fluid, and can be passed down generations.

As a slow fashion social enterprise focused on traditional handwoven weaves and crafts with a contemporary design aesthetic our philosophy is rooted in the principles of sustainability, social responsibility, and cultural preservation. By prioritizing traditional handcrafted techniques, we celebrate the cultural heritage and craftsmanship of grassroots communities, while also promoting sustainable practices.

We recognize the value of slow fashion and its role in countering the harmful effects of fast fashion on the environment and society. By using natural fibers and eco-friendly dyes, we reduce our carbon footprint and ensure that our products are environmentally friendly. Moreover, we emphasize the importance of conscious consumption and encourage customers to make mindful purchasing decisions that prioritize quality, durability, and ethical production.

Our commitment to enabling grassroots craftspeople through skilling and storytelling is a crucial aspect of our work By enabling these artisans, we ensure that traditional crafts and weaving techniques are preserved and passed on to future generations. Additionally, by sharing the stories and experiences of these artisans, we promote cultural exchange and understanding.

Through our practices and values, we seek to create a more equitable and just fashion industry that respects people, the planet, and traditional craftsmanship.

"At Bunavat, we've always focused on doing well by doing good. We put purpose over our ever-living passion."

-Avipsha Thakur, Founder

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