Arvind worked with KVIC to develop 'Khadi Denim' fabric, The Summer House creates exclusive designs

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Dec 21, 2022

The hybrid Khadi Denim textile developed by textiles business Arvind Limited with input from the Khadi and Village Industries Commission is slowly adding fuel to the Khadi revival, supuured on by womenswear brand The Summer House’s use of the handloom textile in an exclusive collection. 

“I find Khadi denim fascinating because unlike most fabrics that developed from handloom to power loom, denim is going from factories to handloom,” The Summer House’s creative director Shivangini Parihar told Vogue India. “People don’t associate khadi with luxury which is sad because what is luxury if not handloom? How can something that has been diligently done thread after thread, weave after weave not be luxurious? High-end designers can bring a luxury tag. But a very small percent of the population shops from designers.”
 
The Summer House’s Khadi denim collection is not dyed and showcases the natural white hue of the textile. The brand’s jeans have a relaxed fit and are designed to be dressed up or down, The Summer House announced on Facebook. 

“The young, hip image of denim has been crafted over many years so we have to take double the effort to market Khadi denim,” said Parihar. “It's a lot of work but once people buy and wear it, they get the appeal.”
 
Retailing from its dedicated e-commerce store, the Khadi denim line is part of The Summer House’s wider push towards sustainable production. The movement is also in line with the Union Government’s Make in India campaign to boost domestic production in textiles and other industries and its push to boost sustainability in the fashion industry.