info@indiafashionicon.com
Vishal Khairnar
इस खबर को सुनने के लिये प्ले बटन को दबाएं।
Zero-Waste Fashion with a Personal Touch: The LataSita Journey
By IndiaFashionIcon.com
“An upcycled sari not only has a charming sense of newness and nostalgia, but also the smallest carbon footprint,” says Meghna Nayak, founder of LataSita, a Kolkata-based sustainable fashion label redefining what it means to give fabric new life.
From the forgotten folds of old saris tucked away in Indian wardrobes, Meghna has built a zero-waste, emotionally rooted fashion brand that’s as conscious as it is beautiful. LataSita doesn’t just repurpose fabric — it reimagines memories.
From Journalism to Fashion Activism
Meghna’s path to sustainable fashion wasn’t straightforward. A journalism graduate from Cornwall, she once dreamt of becoming an environmental reporter — until she returned to India and witnessed the waste and exploitation behind the fast fashion industry firsthand.
“I realised I could enter the fashion supply chain and try, firsthand, to do things differently,” she shares.
When her mother opened a wardrobe filled with vintage saris — many once belonging to Meghna’s grandmother — inspiration struck. “It felt like an instant, intimate connection,” she recalls. What others saw as old cloth, Meghna saw as a canvas of history and heritage.
Breathing New Life into Heirlooms
Thus began LataSita, a brand that marries heritage textiles with modern silhouettes. Meghna’s concept is simple but profound: transform once-cherished saris into wearable art.
Her label operates on two levels — pret (ready-to-wear) and custom, through her ongoing Send Us Your Saree project, where clients bring in their old saris to be reborn as bespoke outfits.
Each piece tells a story — sometimes deeply personal. Meghna recalls one commission where a sari was stained by syrup spills from a mother with Parkinson’s. “We kept the stains,” she says softly. “They became part of a hidden underskirt, a memory stitched into the fabric.”
Design with a Conscience
Working with saris comes with challenges — their limited widths, fragile borders, and uneven textures require custom pattern-making. Meghna employs zero-waste cutting, darning, and upcycling innovations to ensure that no scrap is left unused.
And while saris are her core material, her creativity stretches further — from sherwanis crafted out of tussar curtains to jackets made from deconstructed denim jeans.
“It’s about giving fabric a second life — without creating new waste,” she says.
A Transparent, Closed-Loop System
LataSita stands apart for its radical transparency. Every garment’s maker and process can be traced directly by the customer — a refreshing contrast to faceless, fast-fashion supply chains.
“It’s a short, closed-loop system. You can know exactly who made your clothes,” Meghna explains.
This honesty — paired with artistry — has made LataSita a quiet but powerful force in India’s growing sustainable fashion movement.
Preserving the Future by Reviving the Past
“There are millions of saris lying forgotten in wardrobes across the country,” Meghna reflects. “Preserving the future means preserving the past.”
Through LataSita, she proves that sustainability doesn’t have to mean sacrifice — it can mean style with soul.
