By Shilpa Raina
Mumbai, March 7 (IANS) Not lycra, not satin, it’s organic material like cotton, jute and natural dyes that prominent designers like Anupama Dayal, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Digvijay Singh and Lecoanet-Hemant have used for their collections at the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) here.

In short, they have gone green.

“I have stopped using fabrics like lycra or satin for a long time now. Cotton is such a beautiful fabric and it suits the Indian weather perfectly. So what is the harm in using organic cotton to churn out your collections?” asked Mukherjee.

“I believe we all should do our bit in supporting the environment. It is time to give something back to nature,” he added.

The Kolkata-based designer showcased a spring resort line at the LFW, which is on from March 5-9. Inspired by the 1970s rock stars, the line comprises long skirts, shift dresses and shorts.

Dayal says even though going “organic” is a bit too expensive, it’s good for the skin and environment as well.

“It is a very tedious job to get the pure form of cotton and extract natural dyes. These difficult processes make the end product a bit expensive compared to others. But if your range is appealing, buyers will come and pick it, so will customers,” Dayal told IANS.

“Consumers today are not advertisement driven, they are smart and know what is good for them. Hence initially it was a bit difficult to explain why I use organic products, but now things are simpler. Today, a consumer wants organic products - be it clothes, food or whatever,” she added.

Dayal had showcased a collection where the sensibilities of Jaisalmer met the vivacity of Ibiza through a colourful line of spicy greens, fire pinks and kingfisher blues.

Singh and Lecoanet-Hemant focused on “organic” materials like cotton, jute and a mix of silk and cotton for their collection.

Delhi-based designer duo Lecoanet-Hemant showed their concern for the environment by calling their collection “Go Green” to inform people that “bling” doesn’t define fashion anymore.

“What you wrap around your body is what you wrap around your soul and our collection is a reflection of our green philosophy and our deepest belief that eco-friendly and luxury get well together,” explained Hemant.

“Balancing fashion with substance, the collection is aimed at people who are seeking a style statement with an ethical world,” he added. The duo had used materials like organic cotton, poplin, khadi and handloom silk for their range.

Singh too is a staunch supporter of organic clothing and has a mission to empower the craftsmen and Indian textiles through his collections.

“I believe that we (India) have the potential because we have the advantage of our heritage, tradition and craftsmanship. Unfortunately, technology has taken a toll on us and we have become mere puppets, churning out collection after collection,” said Singh.

“But the problem is that in this grind we are polluting the environment and forgetting our artisans and craftsmen. So I have vowed to use organic cotton for my clothes to empower the craftsmen and techniques to shape Indian textiles,” he added.

Singh has associated himself with Bhusattva, an organic brand, to develop fashion that can work for the upliftment of weavers and artisans.