September - Equiivalence

A sustainability enthusiast and a stern believer of responsible living, the founder of our brand of the month Equiivalence - Avani Shah, is here to teach us how to make a conscious and ethical statement via her jewelry.

Equiivalence is a sustainable jewellery brand born out of the vision that slow fashion can also be affordable high fashion. All their products are responsibly made through every stage of the supply chain and handcrafted in India by their skilled artisans and wonderful team, who, she considers the backbone of Equiivalence.

They believe every living organism, whether plant or human, deserves to be treated with respect and care. They believe in consumption that does not hamper nature's balance. Thus, they use only “cruelty-free, nature-approved” materials and compensate fair, respectful wages to the highly skilled artisans behind each handcrafted product that reaches their customers.

Shah says, “Creating fashion that is not bound by the seasonal cycles of the industry is important to us. All of our creations are made to last, for we create fashion that is beyond tomorrow. Our versatile, multi-occasional products ensure a wide range of use.”

All Equiivalence jewellery is made from recycled brass and packaged in eco-friendly material.

1. was the inspiration and idea behind your brand?

As the founder of Equiivalence, I was highly influenced and affected after watching the 2015 documentary The True Cost. It made me paranoid as to the direction global fashion was headed towards. I started reading into the problems and disasters caused only by the fashion industry. It made me understand the meaning and need for revolutionary practises like sustainability, ethical business, mindful fashion consumption, etc. It is like an ocean, the deeper you dive, the more junk and joy you find.

I soon started realising that our environment is sacred and nurturing earth, our home, is vital to our futures. It rests in the hands of each one of us. That is when I decided, if I ever started a brand, it had to be a sustainable and ethical one.

At Equiivalence, we believe that sustainability is not just to be practised in fashion, but perhaps in everything we do. Sustainability is a way of living life in balance and peace with nature and humanity that surrounds us all.

2. Tell us a little bit about the name. How did you come up with it, what was your inspiration behind the logo and what does it signify?

We came to being as Equiivalence, as the philosophy that every being is equal and no greater than our environment that provides for us. Our logo signifies the equality we stand for within nature and humanity. The double “i” with a shared tittle signifies that we may be two entities but we are still the same, we are one. It represents unity and equality.

3. What is your vision for the brand?

As a sustainable brand, we wanted to make our products affordable and accessible to all. After all, what is sustainability if it isn’t for everyone? Hence our products are priced keeping in mind ethical practices and fair wages across our production and distribution lines, and yet they’re not what one might call ‘overpriced’. The designs are made in such a manner that we are able to offer a very pocket friendly price for sustainable jewellery. We want to enable our customers and be encouraged to make the shift from fast fashion into sustainable fashion.

Our target audience is everyone who admires statement sustainable jewellery.

VISION & MISSION - MINDFUL FASHION BE THE ONLY FASHION

We strive to spread awareness on the importance of more mindful fashion and lifestyle choices one can make. It is important to us that you know why we create our products the way we do.

4. Since your launch, how has the journey been so far? Any special moments or highlights you’d like to share?

Starting a brand during the pandemic was one big challenge, not being able to travel and explore, made it very difficult to bring everything together. Thanks to the goodness of high speed internet, we crossed that bridge too. This journey, like every other, has had its ups and downs. But one thing we have learned in the last year is to not give up and to keep trying our best no matter the circumstances.

5. You just launched a beautiful new collection. Tell us more about that and any new campaigns you have coming up?

Our new festive collection ‘Sukoon in nature’ is inspired by the peace and elegance

of nature. It reflects the raw and pure inner beauty of women. Our designs carry minimal and cosy silhouettes that embrace the simplicity and grace within nature. Every piece is handmade and hand textured to bring out the natural and organic essence of nature. of nature. It reflects the raw and pure inner beauty of women. Our designs carry minimal and cosy silhouettes that embrace the simplicity and grace within nature. Every piece is handmade and hand textured to bring out the natural and organic essence of nature. of nature. It reflects the raw and pure inner beauty of women. Our designs carry minimal and cosy silhouettes that embrace the simplicity and grace within nature. Every piece is handmade and hand textured to bring out the natural and organic essence of nature.

Our upcoming collection, expected to launch mid october is also inspired by nature and natural textures. We will share more details on our instagram stories this month so stay tuned!

6. We have heard a lot of buzz about your packaging. Can You tell us more about how it’s different and what’s so special about it?

Our packaging is made from 100% eco-friendly materials. What’s unique about the paper tags is that they are plantable and every purchase comes with a basil seed paper. You can sow the entire thing in the ground and it will grow into a plant within a few weeks.

It ensures that there is no wastage in our logistics either. And the tags will decompose within a few months of planting. This is another effort we are making towards building a responsible, more sustainable brand.

7. Is there a message you would like to give our audiences?

Equiivalence was born out of our love for nature. Consumption and protection of the environment is the need of the hour. We realize it’s not an easy shift to make but we dare to imagine a world where sustainable consumption is the only consumption. We hope for a better tomorrow - for ourselves, and the generations to come.

All we need is a little support from each other.