Fast fashion is the stylish monster that we should all be afraid of, but we all love and feed. There’s no need to define fast fashion; we all know it’s a pleasurable vice. However, Stuti’s SwapFashions is now in the market to make a deal with the monster. A deal where no one will be harmed, nature can remain intact without being exploited, and we can all enjoy the small victories we achieve by practising fast fashion.
Stuti Jain is from a traditional Marwari family but was raised in Mumbai. Stuti has always been fascinated by fashion and style. Fashion was always her happy place until she decided to make it her permanent home.
She pursued her education in law and eventually became a successful lawyer. She received her Bachelor of Law degree from the Government Law College, Mumbai, and her Master of Law degree from University College London.
In her career of 13 years as a lawyer, she has worked as a dispute resolution attorney for a number of prestigious firms, including Crawford Bayley & Co., Rajah & Tann-Singapore, ALMT Legal, Tata Trusts, etc. In 2014, she went out on her own and opened SSJ Associates, which she ran for 6 years.
Little did she know at that time that her love for fashion and her desire to make a positive impact on the environment would lead her to a new venture, one that would change her life and the lives of many others.
Swati & Her Love For Shopping
The seed for her startup SwapFashions germinated when Stuti noticed that she had a closet full of clothes that she hardly ever wore. Many of these clothes were in good condition, but they no longer fit her style or her body or were already worn to her satisfaction.
She realized that she was not alone in this situation. Many people face this problem, and they end up either discarding their old clothes into the donation box or throw them, eventually leading them to end up in landfills.
Every time I did a complete purge of my closet, I was confronted with a mountain of clothes that I either never wore or had no intention of ever wearing again. My branded clothing was either out of style, wouldn’t fit, or had been worn too many times.
Stuti knew that there had to be a better way. She started researching and discovered that discarded clothes are a major contributor to environmental pollution. According to research, about 92 million tons of textile waste is generated each year, and most of it ends up in landfills.
Even if a woman has a wardrobe full of cloths, she never has anything to wear. Each party necessitates a new dress, and after two wears, the dress is relegated to a corner of the almirah and never seen again. But even if you donate your 2-3 time worn halter dress, who will wear it? People in villages or orphanages are unlikely to wear your halterneck dress.
As a self-confessed shopaholic, stuti realised that fast fashion irritates almost all women. It’s exciting to keep up with fast fashion trends and absolutely stunning to look up to date with existing fashion statements, but at the cost of self-love and pleasure, a lot is compromised.
This realization that there should be a right way to get rid of the cloths you do not want inspired Stuti to start her own brand, which would offer a sustainable solution for preloved branded weasternwear clothes.
SwapFashions
SwapFashions is a brand that has taken the swapping trend to a whole new level. This platform allows people to buy, sell or exchange their pre-loved clothes, offering an innovative way to shop while helping the environment.
The idea was to create a platform where people could come together and share their pre-loved branded western wear clothes with each other, giving them a new lease on life. This would not only reduce the amount of textile waste in landfills but also help people save money and reduce their carbon footprint.
Thrift shopping is very popular in the Western world, but the Indian audience is still perplexed about it. However, with SwapFashions, I have attempted to allow the concept of fast fashion to thrive in a more sustainable manner.
We can now wear new clothes for each party without producing more of them, simply by swapping them. Stuti’s startup has created a more practical way to look fashionable while also protecting the environment.
A Success In Swap
The brand is becoming a hub for fashion enthusiasts who wanted to shop sustainably and ethically. Stuti’s innovative approach to fashion had created a new trend.
An innovative idea is worthless if it is not executed well, but Stuti has worked hard to make SwapFashions a success. When asked what ensures the hygiene of used clothes, the response simply demonstrated why SwapFashions is a success in and of itself.
We are very strict about the authenticity of the brand we accept, the quality of the product, and the cleanliness of the delivered iteam, with no exceptions.
A team of 5 people is dedicated full-time to maintaining product quality. Stuti shared that they have a well-organized cloth-accepting system, where each cloth is thoroughly examined for brand authenticity. No product is accepted even if a minor flaw is discovered.
After being accepted, each cloth is washed and sanitised before being made available for purchase to the customer. As a result, each cloth provided by SwapFashions is more sanitary than clothes touched by hundreds in a brand store selling fast fashion.
If you don’t want to compromise on your fashion quest but want to spend less on each purchase, while also maintaining the ecosystem and enjoying the glams of fast fashion, there is nothing better than a thrift store, and nothing can match the perfection of it if the thrift store provides such impressive services.
Success Is a Talking Giant
The journey was new for me because I had no fashion background, and people in India are not welcoming of the idea of using pre-worn clothes, making acceptance for SwapFashions even more difficult. However, anyone who has ever dared to sell or buy from us has returned with far more satisfaction than they expected.
Starting in the year 2021, SwapFashions has grown much more gracefully in the last three years than it had anticipated. The brand is successfully bringing a practical solution to the problem of fast fashion.
Stuti’s journey is a testament to the power of innovation and creativity. Her passion for fashion and her desire to make a difference in the world has not only changed her life but also the lives of many others. Stuti’s brand is a shining example of how sustainable fashion can be both trendy and ethical, and how we can all do our part to protect the environment.
My family members were sceptical about it initially, but watching it find grounds in the sky, my family is now rooting for me. We were originally walking out of my son’s room, but I’m glad to say that we’ll be opening our own thrift store in south Mumbai soon.
Connect with SwapFashions and become a part of India’s much-needed fashion revolution. SwapFashions can be found on Instagram, or you can shop directly from their website. Say no to fast fashion, say yes to thrifting with SwapFashions.
If you loved reading this story, you can also check One Innovation At A Time! Meet The Couple Who Recycles 10000 Tonnes of Waste Every Month.
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