Long before sustainability became a buzzword, Kavita Kajaria made it her way of life and led a series of projects that positively impacted lives in the city. From being an important part of the Garbage Free India (GFI) movement in the city to launching Green Pari and now 8Finity, Kajaria’s actions speak louder than her words. “I have always been passionate about sustainable practices way before it became a trend. My journey started amidst the lockdown of 2020 when I initiated Green Pari: Protect Her Save Nature, a social initiative addressing menstrual health and hygiene of underprivileged women,” shares Kavita.
Infinite possibilities
A community outreach programme, Green Pari gave Kajaria the opportunity to work closely with women from remote parts of Bengal and discover their hidden talents. Its success further motivated her to start 8Finity, a socially and ecologically responsible brand that offers exquisite handmade products celebrating artisanal craft and upcycled materials. “8Finity wasn’t really planned but my passion to address plastic pollution and the desire to tap the skill/talent of the women from the marginalised communities led to it,” adds Kavita, who will soon launch a website for online sale and global outreach.
Talking about her journey which she terms as overwhelming, she avers, “We have empowered more than 80 women, created awareness about upcycling and provided a great platform to showcase local artisanal craft. Our team of designers put together styles keeping functionality and the latest trends in mind. Emphasis is laid on details like finishing and quality.” Her journey has been marked by many challenges and she explains, “It is challenging to upcycle products rather than to just purchase new raw materials from the market. Also, to provide an opportunity to a community and tap their skills requires patience, dedication; and a lot of time and commitment.”
Being focused
While at the moment 8Finity is her focus, Kajaria is also streamlining her other passion projects namely Multi-Layer Plastic (MLP) and Green Pari. “Most of the embellishments that we use for 8finity products are upcycled plastic and scrap fabric waste collected through our awareness drives hosted by Green Pari. We see immense opportunity for creativity and impact and that’s what keeps us going,” informs Kavita who intends to reach out to urban underprivileged communities and empower them as well. Acknowledging that sustainable fashion has immense potential here and abroad, Kavita plans to collaborate with brands and designers in the future.