Conceptualized in 2016, sustainability-centred brand Kiniho is the brainchild of Iba Mallai, a textile designer based in Meghalaya, India. The brand is an amalgamation of heritage with modern aesthetics. ‘Creating responsibly’ is embedded in the brand’s foundation, with all designs crafted mindfully by blending Eri/Peace silk with handcrafted textiles.
“I was far away from home when I decided I wanted to start my own sustainable clothing line,” says designer Iba Mallai. “My deep-rooted love for nature, along with that desire to start something new, something sustainable that was meaningful not only to me but also to those around me, my community and nature, led me to start Kiniho.”
Kiniho – which currently retails through Meghalayan Age Store in Delhi, Paper Boat Collective in Bangalore and Flame in Goa – has a design aesthetic and colour palette that is deeply inspired by nature, traditions and folklore of the region.
Natural & Peaceful
Kiniho’s designs and garments are flowy, open and approach life with a relaxed and easy mindset. The brand works only with Eri silk, also called Peace silk since silkworms are not killed to obtain the fibre. This fibre is then handwoven by local community weavers to create textiles. The colour palette is deeply inspired by nature, as such the brand uses only natural dyes in production.
Kiniho ensures that every processes involved in the making of the products from fibre to finished garments is sustainable and eco friendly. The Eri silk extraction is eco-friendly since it is open ended, so when the moth is ready to fly, it leaves the cocoon behind which is used by the brand. This silk fiber is biodegradable.
Aside from this the brand also uses only natural dyes to dye their yarns and garments and no harmful chemicals are released or used in the process.
“The garments are also handwoven and thus there is no electricity consumed in the making of a product. This also means we work with community weavers who produce in small batches as per their capacity and as per customer requirements. We also recycle and recreate with the waste generated – for example we use waste to create accessories – striving for minimal to zero waste,” Mallai explains.
The target audience is women between the ages so of 30 and 50, women who are modern, conscious buyers.
SS23 Own Space Collection
“The SS23 Own Space collection is an idea of contentment, peace and no judgement. With flowy evergreen designs and natural colours, this collection is an easy addition to anyone’s closet” SS23 Own space is a place where everyone can sink into their beliefs, allowing thoughts to process. With this collection, Kiniho brings a fresh mix of natural colours in Eri silk handwoven textiles. The designs are a play with lines and textures with minute detailing, allowing their handcrafted fabric its own space to weave its own story. Techniques such as hand embroidery, crochet and pleats are used for detailing,” explains Mallai.
The collection is priced between Rs 6000 and Rs 16000, and is currently available online on www.kiniho.com and in the boutiques the brand retails in.
