IMPACT
OUR 5 Cs
Reconnecting with nature is at our heart - contributing to cleaner world waterways and healthy soil, where living creatures
thrive and bio diversity is alive. Now more than ever we are acutely aware of the world around us.
Of manufacturing supply chains and the true human cost at which cheap modern day slave labour comes.
We welcome you to join us in supporting local artisan weavers, fair wages. Our commitment to 100% transparency and the revival of the ancient wisdom of natural plant dyes.
Our 5 Cs show our commitment to creating a better and more sustainable future for us all.
COMMUNITY
We stand for dignified working conditions and for workers being paid fairly. For this 100% transparency is critical.
We work with a community of skilled artisan weavers in India, both female and male,
to create our beautiful, hand woven fabrics. We are dedicated to keeping alive these ancient craft techniques and our cultural heritages.
Our weaving houses are placed in the centre of the villages where weavers live. There is no unnecessary commute to work (often 3 to 4 hours in aday for some people). This precious time can be spentwith family and their local community.
Flexible hours at the weave house allows weavers to work hours that fit in with their schedule, often arriving early when its cool and leaving earlier.
Our weavers are paid a living wage; double what is paid in a normal factory environment. This is allowing for communities to get out of debt created fromprevious employment.
Support our weaving community and check out our fun, colourful knickers.
CARBON NUETRAL
C02 records have risen to new levels. What can we do to address this emergency?
The planting of cover crops such as Indigo fixes nitrogen into the soil and grazing of goats helps restores the bacteria in the soil sequestering carbon from the atmosphere.
We use Lenzing Modal, a carbon neutral fabric that is created in an award winning closed loop process that recovers 99% of water and solvents. Certified by the International Forest stewardship and 100% biodegradable.
CLEAN COLOUR
Today almost all textiles are made with synthetic dyes using over 8,000 chemicals.
“Women are exposed to several chemical additives existing in textile materials in underwear due to the daily direct contact with the fabric materials.” Journal of Environmental Science 2016
Our dyes are created from native plants in ancestral dyeing techniques that have been passed down through generations and are kind to your skin. We create pure botanical colours without the use of synthetic chemicals. This means the
dyeing process is not toxic for the dyers
or the environment. That’s good for you and good for the planet.
Our waste dye stuffs are used on the field as fertilizers creating a circular system.
CLEAR WATER
The fashion industry is one of the world’s most polluting industries.
20% of industrial water pollution is caused by the processing of textiles. The World Bank.
Cheap petroleum based fabrics such as polyester are produced unsustainably and damage the environment.
Water scarcity affects more than 40% of global population and is expected to rise. With cotton well known as a “thirsty” crop we put an irrigation system in place on the farm to enable it to be watered primarily through rain water.
CIRCULARITY
“There is no beauty in the finest cloth if it brings hunger and unhappiness” - Gandhi
Reimagining how the fashion industry can better respect people and the planet.
Regenerative farming is the new organic or sustainable farming.
By omitting chemicals and working with regenerative agriculture we can replenish and strengthen the plants, soil and nature surrounding.
Our Journey
January 2019: Bedstraw + Madder partnered with the regenerative farm in Erode, India. Working with Nishanth Chopra of Oshadi to grow 1 acre of organic cotton in Erode, India.
June 2019: sowing Organic cotton seeds
Lockdown harvest 2020: Farmers lived on site to make this happen.
September 2020: Farm 2 fibre debut collection of colourful, knickers and robes handwoven on looms by local weavers from our cotton.
www.bedstrawandmadder.com
All creatures great and small have their role to play on our Regenerative Agriculture Farm as part of a holistic, living circular system. Grazing goats roam the cotton fields post harvest converting the cotton biomass into manure for soil health. Increasing soil microbes helps reverse climate change by sequestering atmospheric carbon. Following the principles of a circular economy makes sense.