Sustainability and Transparency Policy

 

DESIGN ETHOS

When designing, the first point of reference is always our customer. What are they asking for, what are their passions?

There are key styling points that we always endeavour to keep in mind, such as arm coverage, appropriate lengths on all items, and neat clean necklines in order to instantly make our customer feel at ease in our garments.

Then, of course, we reference our customers'

Lifestyle, where they willl wear the ORA product and who will they be surrounded by when doing so.

Comfort and function are key.

After these areas have been addressed, we focus on what will inspire to wear each item season after season. We believe there is beauty in simplicity. The strongest pieces in any wardrobe are the ones that translate across the seasons.

MADE IN INDIA

All of our garments are made in kolkata by exceptional local makers that we have been working with since the inception of ORA. A cornerstone of our business, we are passionate about supporting local manufacturing and revitalizing the Indian Fashion Industry.

While it is no secret that ethically manufacturing in India has a significantly higher cost compared to offshore manufacturing, it does provide us with great certainty that everyone involved in making our garments are fairly paid and treated. Working in such close proximity, allows us to work alongside our makers and monitor our production, reduce our waste and minimise our carbon footprint.

ETHICALLY ACCREDITED

All of our manufacturers are accredited which ensures everyone involved in the construction and manufacturing of our garments are fairly paid, receive their legal minimum entitlements and work in safe conditions.

OUR TEAM

We are surrounded by caring, talented and passionate team members who are driven by the values we share. We are committed to making waves and challenging processes to find ethically and environmentally friendly solutions. Our workplace is encouraging, thoughtful, flexible and very respectful.

We also recycle, reduce where we can and reuse always.

 

OUR MAKERS

Over the many years of ORA, our local karigars have become like family and their talent lays in the quality of our garments. We are so proud to support local manufacturing and champion the values we hold so closely.

 

OUR SUPPLIERS

Like our makers, our suppliers have also become an integral part of the ORA team. Over the years, we have built strong relationships with our suppliers who share many of the same values. Our fabrics, trims and materials are sourced through businesses Pan India.

OUR FABRICS

Every stage of a garment’s life cycle has an impact on the environment, from processing the fibre to washing a garment. When selecting our fabrics, we take into consideration the varying degrees of effect and do our best to select those that bear a lower environmental impact.

Through each season we endeavour to include natural, organic, recycled and repurposed materials throughout our collections.

 

LOVE YOUR CLOTHES

As a fashion brand, we believe it is our responsibility to do everything possible to ensure our garments are made to the highest quality. We design them in such a way that they will last as treasures in your wardrobe. From only using the highest quality materials, to our exceptional makers, to an extensive quality control process, we do our best to ensure you are able to enjoy a long relationship with them.

Now it’s your turn, caring for them. We strongly believe through love and care, it is possible to extend the life of your clothes. We want to share some tips that we hope will be helpful when caring for your garments.

To combat your water and energy consumption we recommend thinking before you wash. If it’s a small stain, sometimes a spot clean can do the trick, hand washing is also a great alternative. We also prefer to use an environmentally friendly detergent as they are less harmful to our environment. Use cold temperatures where possible and hang dry preferably outside rather than tumble dry.

PACKAGING

To revolutionise our packaging approach, we have made the switch to packs made from kora cloth (unrefined cotton), it is non-toxic biodegradable. Our brand name has been hand embroidered in the packaging. We use tissue paper/butter paper with our branding to further package the product. It is finally tied together with cotton ribbon and posted in a cotton envelope.

TAGS

Our tags are made of coffee husk and industrial waste cotton rags. They are non-toxic and biodegradable.

One of the challenges of being a small business is we often don’t get to engage or share our knowledge with our wonderful customers. In an attempt to find a solution, we have included a fabric information page on the website, sharing the properties and benefits of each fabric in our collections each season.