A family-run startup based out of Ahmedabad, Chhapa is a sustainable clothing brand that's reviving the age-old handblock printing technique, while empowering artisans and earning crores.
Founded in 2013, Chhapa is a sustainable clothing and accessories brand by Shipa Patel. With a store in Ahmedabad as well as a robust online presence, they aim to revive hand block printing and support artisans, while offering customers quirky and unique designs.
Sustainability is at the core of what Chhapa does — they use fabrics like cotton and khadi, as well as natural or azo-free dyes. They also try to reduce waste as much as they can, upcycling fabric where possible by making accessories like pouches, bags, and more with leftover fabric.
They employ and work directly with weavers in an attempt to revive the dying block art printing technique. They also offer their artisans free health check-ups and good quality shoes to work in, among other initiatives.
The brand’s USP is their unique designs, with motifs like elephants, sunglasses, and more carved into the wood blocks, bringing a modern spin to the traditional hand block printing technique, and appealing to a younger audience.
Today, they work with 25 artisans, earning Rs 1.5 crore in annual revenue, of which 25 per cent goes directly to artisans.
Edited by Divya Sethu
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