Anjana Arjun launches handbag brand Sarjaa

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Sep 20, 2022

Anjana Arjun has launched Sarjaa as a vegan leather handbag brand with a dedicated e-commerce store. The entrepreneur and designer is using upcycled waste from the food industry including apple skins to create luxury accessories, the new brand announced on Facebook. 

“In India, there is still very little awareness about sustainable leather,” Arjun told Elle India. “When people think of sustainability in India the first thing that comes to mind is products made out of jute or linen, very minimal or recycled. We don’t associate sustainability with a super elevated look and that’s the gap I found in the market. With Sarjaa I aim to bridge that gap by bringing really chic products to the table while being sustainable at the same time.”
 
The brand is the first in India to use apples to create vegan leather, according to the label, although other labels have used fruits such as pineapple. The bags feature sleek, modern designs and linings printed by designs made by local mehendi artists. 

“While we are currently sourcing the apple skin leather from abroad, the next big step for me that I’m currently working on is to bring the production to India,” said Arjun. “And this is something I wouldn’t want to gatekeep- everyone should be able to incorporate these materials into their products. As a country, that’s the major goal here. I would never call ourselves 100% sustainable because nobody is yet, but we’re all just evolving and we will get there.”
 
Following a two-year research and development phase, the brand has now launched its maiden collection, made with no toxic pigments or chemicals and low water consumption. Although Arjun has launched her brand as a handbag label, she aims to continue to expand its product selection and produce clothing and homeware using fruit fibres as well as experiment with other materials such as grapes and mushrooms.