Khadi collective Sanja Stories celebrates mindful fashion trend for Diwali

London: A khadi collective that works with Indian farmers, weavers and artisans to promote regenerative and sustainable fashion globally is celebrating a growing trend of mindful festive gifts.

Following a launch earlier in the year, Sanja Stories reopened its signature Sanja Trousers range that is handcrafted from organic khadi cotton for the festive season to meet international demand.

“During Diwali, we celebrate light overcoming darkness and begin anew with offerings of gratitude and love...Sanja means partnership in Hindi; by gifting Sanjas... you’re gifting a story. One that regenerates soil and communities in India, minimises waste and connects the wearer to a wider movement for fashion that heals instead of harms,” Sanja Stories said in a statement.

The collective grew out of relationships built around khadi, the hand-spun and hand-woven cloth that was at the heart of Mahatma Gandhi’s call for self-reliance during the independence movement.

Kishore Shah, a Gandhian activist connected to khadi production since 1968, and Abhishek Jain, who runs workshops in artisanal crafts that support heritage skills and provide livelihoods, began working together in 2015. They met further collaborators through the micro-business Ecosystem Incubator and aligned over a shared interest in khadi, growing into an international movement.

“With Sanja Stories, you’re not paying into a corporate brand or CEO’s pocket. We’re proof that a collaborative circular model is possible – one where all the partners involved win," the team added.

English actor of Indian heritage Paul Bazely, one of Sanja Stories' ambassadors, says he was drawn to the brand for its “authenticity and commitment to fair, regenerative fashion using heritage khadi fabric and processes”.

Besides Shah and Jain, the initiative involves Jo Salter, Rachel Sheila Kan, Claudia Coveyduck and Safiya Allaf alongside sustainable fashion partners such as Khadi London, Where Does It Come From, Circular Earth and Real Circularities, Claudia’s Sample Studio, Safiya Allaf Copywriting and Mishka Craft.