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Fashion industry’s most vocal anti-pollution campaigner

FashionFashion industry’s most vocal anti-pollution campaigner

Gaurav Gupta is a designer who has constantly been a part of anti-pollution campaigns. Even in his latest launch, he chose to display a collection inspired by eco-friendly fashion, making a statement about the need to address the problem of rising pollution in the city. Recently, to raise awareness about this issue and to find solutions as a community in these toxic times, Gupta partnered with Jai Dhar Gupta, CEO of Vogmask India and A.D. Singh of Olive, for an initative called “The Anti Pollution Riot Campaign” .

“The Anti Pollution Riot Campaign aims to raise awareness of the alarming situation we’re now living through. Always remember: air pollution is a silent killer — it is invisible. I strongly believe that even though we are in the worst situation —children and people in general are resistant to masks — we are yet to fully appreciate the gravity of it all. Any solution to this ‘airpocalypse’ starts with awareness. Awareness leads to consensus and allows our politicians and judiciary to act boldly. We are also hoping to influence citizens to change their behavior and adopt greener habits,” Gupta tells Guardian 20.

The designer also believes that this campaign is not just a one-day or a one-evening campaign, but an ongoing drive for the next three-to-five years. In other words, this campaign is long-term, and is bound to evolve.

He says, “We need to make small changes immediately, like say no to single-serve plastic, recycling at source, moving towards better waste management, carpooling, regular maintenance of vehicles, switching to petrol or electric vehicles — essentially, reducing our overall carbon footprint.”

The designer wants the masses to become aware of this campaign. He says, “We are sending out about 300 anti-pollution riot kits with a t-shirt and a mask, which are reaching influencers all over the world from films and fashion to theatre and arts. So that people wear those things and spread it on social media. Most of them have thousands or millions of followers. Also, we are the most polluted city in the world and this is not just a Diwali problem. We are in an extreme emergency situation — it’s like a danger state and you can’t live in this situation as it’s akin to chemical warfare. We hope when people see these friends of the campaign wearing the t-shirts and masks, they will receive a strong message: stop, see and think.”

As a fashion designer, he believes that fashion has also immensely added to the pollution levels. The designer is also urging people to move towards “slow fashion” — which is eco-friendly — and to stop consuming much of “fast fashion” — which is made of toxic ingredients that eventually end up in
landfills. 

Gaurav Gupta, with a shot of him wearing one of his “The Anti-Pollution Riot Campaign” t-shirts.

“The main thing that we should look into is waste management. At an individual level, people have to stop consuming that much fashion. You have to understand the meaning of slow fashion. We should wear those clothes for years and reuse them, recycle them. A major part of fast-fashion consumerism is also responsible for pollution. In the industry there are a lot of people and aware fashion houses who are turning green and organic, but there is still a long way to go,” the designer says.

His Autumn/Winter collection was on zero waste. When asked if he is planning to launch something in the same line, he replies, “This ‘Anti-Pollution Riot Campaign’ is much larger than just my brand of fashion, and yes, we will be incorporating many things within the brand as well. But the larger message here is for everyone, fashion or non-fashion. Each one of us should join hands together, talking about this burning problem and try to find solutions together.”

The designer is also an associate member of the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI). As a member, he thinks that the industry has to collectively work to curb the pollution menace. “Yes, the fashion industry is obviously involved in it and a lot of people are supporting this campaign and also came for the launch. They will also eventually become active voices in the campaign. But that is not the sole purpose of it. I am doing this, so it reaches the masses and to make them realise how big a problem pollution is!”

But does he think that the Indian fashion industry can entirely move to eco-friendly ways? He says, “There is a long way to go before that. Also, it is not just about the Indian fashion industry but the global fashion industry.”

On a note of advise for budding designers, Gupta concludes, “While growing your workshops, please make sure there are certain green systems in the factory from the inception. Also make sure you are not contributing towards any kind of pollution — manage your waste and make special things which will carry forward from one person to the other.”

 

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