What they make:
Tops, T-shirts, Shirts, Pants, Trousers, Jeans, Dresses, Saris, Suits, Jackets, Skirts, Tote bags, Blouses
Where to buy:
www.paher.in &
Stores in Bangalore & Goa
Founded in December 2020, in the midst of the lockdown, Paher is Ankita Kayal’s endeavour to turn her love for India’s textile heritage into comfortable, contemporary, fuss-free clothing. Derived from the Hindi word Prahar, a unit of time-keeping, Paher presents timeless pieces that seamlessly transition from day to night. Their first explorative collection launched in February 2021. The brand has, since, been experimenting with various Indian handlooms, highlighting the rawness of Indian crafts, to create sublime garments.
PRETTY FOR
THE PLANET
4.5/5
Paher releases only a collection or two a year. They produce less than 100 units, mostly made-to-order, in a month, which ensures there is no excess stock. They also do not remove unsold inventory, but instead, continue to sell it through stockists and on their website. So the extended carbon footprint from a garment ending up in landfill is mitigated.
Using handwoven cotton, linen and Kala cotton (100% rain-fed organic cotton), Paher is minimising the use of resources in their procurement of fabric, which is sourced directly from the weavers and artisans. The cutting of the fabrics and the testing of the fit samples is closely monitored, ensuring low production waste. The brand uses natural dyes and GOTS-certified Azo-free dyes for their collections. The yarns are pre-washed to check for colour and light fastness, and only once the colours are approved for quality, does the fabric go into production.
Paher uses sustainable options for their design add-ons, such as coconut shell buttons, Corozo buttons, wooden buttons, metal zips and MOP (mother of pearl) buttons, showcasing the brand’s commitment to sustainability even in the smallest details. In fact, they use unbleached cotton cords and recycled paper for their hangtags, with handpasted foraged wild flowers and leaves detailing. How adorable is that!
At Paher’s in-house manufacturing facility, they repurpose every bit of katran, left behind from the sampling and production process, into products like hand-stitched journals. The orders are all wrapped in reusable muslin bags, before being packed in brown paper envelopes, sealed using brown paper tape. Most importantly, the garments are all hand- and machine-wash friendly, ensuring a low post-consumer footprint. Just what the ecologist ordered!
PRETTY FOR
THE PEOPLE
4.5/5
Paher sources their fabrics directly from the weavers and artisans. In fact, the brand stays true to the people involved in the production, by always turning to master craftsmen. For example, for a Bandhani Paher shirt, the fabric is woven by the weavers in Kutchch, then passed onto the Bandhani artists in a different village, and then sent to Bengaluru for final production and quality checks.
The artisans, craftsmen, weavers, masters, tailors and pattern makers are all being paid directly, according to current industry standards, without any profit-sharing models or middlemen in place. Even as the fairness of industry standards may be debatable, the brand ensures that all artisans are paid in full, irrespective of sales. The revenue sharing, as commission, is applicable only to the retailers they work with, based on respective stocking agreements.
Paher takes an interpersonal approach to policies, rather than an institutional one, providing autonomy to each of their employees within their respective roles and responsibilities, including applying for leaves. As it is a small team, it is convenient for the brand to operate in this work culture that also allows for the brand to help their employees on a more personal level, including assistance with school fees, hospital bills and festival bonuses.
PRETTY FOR
YOU
4.5/5
Paher is known for its casual essentials that transcend styles, changing trends and even geographic divides. Their garments are wardrobe staples that are made extra special by the finesse and elegance of our traditional handloom crafts. Priced between INR 5,000 and INR 10,000, their garments cater to a wide spectrum of consumers, and are unlikely to lose their relevance even 10 years down the line. Even though the designs are limited, they are versatile and can be styled in multiple ways, besides being inclusive in their silhouettes.
A customer-centric brand, Paher goes the extra mile, by offering customisations and impeccable post-sales support, including alterations. They prioritise quality to ensure the garments never lose their glow, by offering information about the content and type of fabric, the type of dyes used, the place where the fabric and garment have been manufactured, along with wash care instructions. But what’s been the biggest winner for us, at Pretty As You Please, is how transparent Paher is about their production and policies, ensuring what you see is what you get!
Have you tried Paher before? Share your experiences with us, in the comments section or write to us at hello@prettyasyouplease.co.
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