The word ‘Théla’ colloquially means ‘plastic bags’ in Hindi.

It is used casually and very often when we use the phrase “I don’t need the plastic bag.” while shopping for groceries, clothes or anything else!

We are based in India and Greece. At the moment, our production happens in India and we are shipping locally and internationally from Mumbai and Athens.

We use two craft techniques – crochet and weaving. The crocheted products are made by me, Diti in Greece and the woven products are made in collaboration with ethical craft and tailoring units in India.

Simply put, circularity or circular economy aims to eliminate waste and extend the life cycle of a material as much as possible. In an ideal scenario, the idea is to keep using and reusing (sharing, leasing, repairing, recycling) a material again and again and again without it ever going to a landfill. 

For a company like Théla this means: 

– Designing our products with as less waste as possible

– Donating any waste generated to organisations that will reuse or recycle it

– Not using any new plastic or harmful chemicals during the entire production and retail process

You can read more about our circular practises here.

A vegan brand is cruelty-free and does not use any animal products or by-products like leather, wool, silk, fur or feathers. However, if they are truly sustainable or not depends on what materials they use instead. For example, a common leather substitute is fake or faux leather that is made from non-biodegradable, toxic and plastic-based materials like nylon, acrylic and polyester. These materials are not plastic-free and are not sustainable.

At Théla, all our products are vegan and our core material is discarded plastic. Hence, we cannot claim to be plastic-free, but no new plastic is used. And no toxic chemicals and dyes are used either. Our secondary material is 100% certified organic and fair trade cotton that is naturally or azo-free dyed.

Recycling is a complex, industrial and energy consuming process that involves the destruction of waste in order to create something new. When we put something in the recycling bin, it is not necessarily getting recycled. If we look at plastics alone, less than 10% of it is actually recycled. Current solutions are just not sufficient. 

Examples:

Recycling plastic drinking bottles into fibers to make clothes

Upcycling takes waste and creates something new and of higher value. It is a lot less intrusive and can be done at home by you and me. It is highly creative and encourages reuse and handcrafting. It is almost like giving the waste material a second chance – the original form is retained and is recognisable, which gives it a story – you can see what it has been and also what it has become. 

In summary, upcycling reduces or delays the need for recycling and is therefore a great environmental solution.

Examples:

Transforming an old ladder into a bookshelf

Converting a torn sock into a puppet or a toy

Inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends is ‘fast fashion’. The problem of fast fashion is threefold:

It encourages over consumerism and waste

From the consumer’s perspective, fast fashion is cheap, trendy and disposable. Shoppers are encouraged to update their wardrobes regularly to keep up with ever-changing trends. It makes purchasing clothes on impulse easy and affordable. And throwing them away as well.

It is unethical

90 percent of the world’s clothing is produced in low and middle income countries. Everyday the workers endure poor, dangerous working conditions and wages too low to afford basic needs.

It has an enormous environmental footprint

It requires a lot of energy and resources to manufacture. It relies on toxic fabric dyes and other harmful chemicals that contaminate the water. Its most common fabric is non-organic cotton which requires a lot of water and pesticides to grow. 

‘Slow fashion’ arose as a movement to combat fast fashion. It considers the processes and resources required to make clothing and fashion accessories. It encourages buying better-quality garments that will last longer, and values fair treatment of people, animals, and the planet along the way.

We maintain an open, honest relationship with our partners and our customers. All information about our community, partners, process, and sustainable practices is on our website. 

One of the ways to radically improve Théla is to stay accessible and welcome conversation. Get in touch with us if you have suggestions or if you need help with any of our resources. We’d love to chat.