With global warming increasing, there is intense pressure on governments and brands to clean up their act. Consumers are also equally responsible for making better purchasing decisions and opting for brands that are doing their bit to save the environment.

The theme for Environment Day (June 5) this year was to combat plastic pollution. So we decided to ask some design houses in the country what measures they are taking to reduce plastic consumption and help the buyer make informed purchasing decisions.

Anita Dongre, for example, has always included the philosophy of sustainability in her fashion narrative. The designer has teamed up with Lucro Plastecycle Private Limited to install a comprehensive plastic waste management system at The House of Anita Dongre (which also has brands including AND and Global Desi). Profit specializes in recycling locally sourced plastic waste to manufacture flexible packaging products.

Meanwhile, Climes, an Indian green-tech company that helps businesses offset their carbon emissions, has seen more fashion brands like The Pant Project, Neeman’s and The Souled Store partner with them this year.

Selling only plant-based, toxin-free, eco-friendly, or cruelty-free brands, beauty and wellness platform kindlife has plastic-free, recyclable packaging. They recently launched an empty packaging collection program and aim to be 100% plastic neutral soon.

“Kind Circle is our empty packaging program, where we invite our community to return their empty beauty and food containers, whether they were purchased on our platform or not, and win kinders. These kinders then translate into discounts on your next purchase. What started as an empty beauty packaging program has expanded its reach over the years to include food packaging as well,” says Radhika Ghai, the company’s founder and CEO.

Summer Somewhere is another fashion brand that is serious about not creating too much plastic waste. They have partnered with ReCircle and recover one kilo of plastic for every order placed, and have since recovered 3,130kg of plastic.

“Summer Somewhere has been a plastic-free label from the very beginning. We’ve taken our commitment to the environment a step further by partnering with ReCircle. Our commitment is to recover 10,000 kg of low-quality single-use plastic from landfills and oceans by 2025. We recover 1 kg of plastic waste (equivalent to 40 one-litre bottles) for every order placed with us,” says Meghna Goyal, foundress. Of the label