What does self love mean to you? And why is it important?
Self-love to me means the capacity to give myself the unconditional love and compassion in any circumstance that life offers. It could be in owning who I truly am, how I look, how I dress, what I believe in without apologising. Or in honouring my unique story, all of my past experiences either good or bad. Or simply being loving and kind to myself in my daily self-talk.
I think it is really important because everything starts from within. The outer world is a mirror to our inner world. Our relationships with others reflect our intimate relationship with ourselves. I used to say to myself that I am not good with money, and I can’t keep money. The result of that daily negative self-talk was that I spent mindlessly on stuff I didn’t care about. Once I changed my mindset to a more positive thinking pattern, I enjoyed learning and managing my money. So my outer experiences do follow my relationship with myself.
What are some quick tips you can give to others who want to start on this journey?
Apart from some tips I mentioned on the previous question. I found these one fun to start:
- Journaling on your insecurities, and all the limited beliefs you carry on yourself. And start to rewrite them all. Write your own affirmations. Cross all the old beliefs off.
- I also highly recommend you start a little fun creative self-love project. It can be making a painting or draw on self-love and what does self-love feel like? Expressing it out, paint it, draw it, write about it. And you can hang the piece up in your most sacred place at home. You don’t need to be an artist to make art. Do what you want. Be your own most loyal fan when you create art, especially on self-love.
What inspired you to start your eco-conscious journey?
Raised as an outdoors kid, I have always felt intrinsically connected to and fascinated by the natural world. My love for nature extends across the vast inter-connectivities of ecosystems, bodies of water, flora, fauna and other living beings that we coexist with. I’m passionate about caring for the environment which cares for us.
Many years ago now, my whole view of living in a consumer based world changed. I gained awareness of the climate crisis occurring and knew that I needed to contribute positive change.
What are some of the ways you are living a sustainable lifestyle?
Being vegetarian / plant-based for over six years, I’m on an ongoing journey of reducing waste and minimising my environmental impact. I embrace a minimalist approach to living, viewing less as more and aiming to conserve more and waste less resources.
I love the philosophies of reducing, refusing, reusing, repurposing and recycling. Reducing the amount of waste I’m producing by being conscious of what I’m consuming. Refusing consumables that can’t be recycled or cause unnecessary, excess waste. Reusing things or repurposing them (i.e. finding new ways for using things you might otherwise throw away). And recycling, which conserves natural resources, saves energy and reduces pollution. I also love to source things second hand and go on to give my belongings that I no longer need a second life too - whether selling, donating or swapping them.
Sustainability is about looking at the long term picture, of how our actions today will affect the lives of future generations. Being a new mother has made me think much differently about what this means and how it will affect my daughter and the children of others.
What are your best eco tips to share with others?
Begin with considering what ways can you adopt a slower, more conscious lifestyle? Here are a few areas and ideas:
What are some tips you can share for new mums?
First of all I want to say you are doing amazing mama! Raising a baby in this day and age takes a lot of energy, patience, time and love. Something incredible to remember is that our little ones learn from us. We have the opportunity to teach our babies how to care for the environment and those who co-exist with us, too 💛
Again, if we start small and keep an open mind to adopting environmentally conscious habits then this will lead to sustained positive change.
Thrifting or gifting used bubba clothes, joining a toy library or buying wooden toys rather than plastic ones or using biodegrade products if possible are great things you could consider.
What do you love about wearing Xaura?
I love that Xaura is a woman lead and designed label. Kavita is such a lovely being and it’s wonderful to support a woman owned business in the fashion industry!
I also love that the Xauras dresses I’ve worn use natural fibers, have pockets and are breastfeeding friendly!
What does sustainable fashion mean to you?
I lived half my life in India and half in the US and while living in India “sustainable fashion” to me was just fashion because the production of textiles was inherently sustainable. Most consumers are aware of and participate in the process of creating their garments. India has a massive variety of regional textiles that use fibers like jute, cotton, and linen etc that are natural to the region as the product of regenerative agriculture. These fibers are then woven by weavers on a machine or handloom and dyed and printed/embroidered by artisans. Many consumers buy their fabrics and get them stitched by a local tailor, which supports local economies and doesn’t exploit labor. The definition of slow and transparent fashion. With the rise of colonialism and the Industrial Revolution, our relationships with labor and the planet were cut and we became dissociated. Growing up surrounded by rich South Asian textiles, fashion was a medium for not only self expression but a relationship with my culture as well.
To me sustainable fashion is a powerful lens to explore the gaps in our system and that goes deeper than just environmental friendly fabrics and fair wages. We need to focus the conversation around its effects on black and brown bodies, who holds power, creating localized economies, thinking of fashion as a product of agriculture, focusing on regenerative agriculture, embracing colorful and cultural designs and reviving/centering indigenous craft and knowledge as the means to move forward.
We don’t need to go crazy looking for new systems and inventions. Places like South Asia and other indigenous communities around the world are thriving systems to take inspiration from. It’s not enough to just reduce negative impacts, rather we need to give back more than we take. Follow the lead of BIPOC communities, the future of sustainable fashion is going back to our roots.
How did you get into sustainable fashion?
I was exposed to sustainable fashion after moving to India at the age of 11. Here I was constantly surrounded by artisanal crafts and rich regional textiles. It surprised me how much access consumers had in India to buying fabrics from weavers and getting them stitched and dyed. I got much deeper into the sustainable fashion scene in college when I learned how exploitative the fashion industry was by outsourcing their work to the Global South, paying unlivable wages, and creating immense pollution and wastage. I hadn’t realized that sustainability was something BIPOC communities had been living for thousands of years but just given a trendy name.
What are some things customers searching to buy from an ethical brand look out for?
I can’t speak for all consumers but a lot of people look for more than just transparency. Don’t just tell us you are being ethical but show us, have it central to your ethos, and involve everyone in the supply chain and celebrate their work.
I do think western sustainability has been washed with a certain “ basic look” associated with them. You probably visualize minimal closets full of beige, white, black, and some earth tones. Sustainable/ethical products have a certain aesthetic associated with it, almost sacrificing people’s sense of style (a reason why people don’t shop sustainable brands). This leaves people of color feeling excluded. For BIPOC communities color, pattern, and embroidery are integral to culture, freedom, and self expression. The process of creating these fabrics are traditionally already ethical/sustainable crafted by skilled artisans on handlooms using natural farmed fibers.
What do you love about Xaura?
I love that Xaura emphasizes and celebrates South Asian culture and craftsmanship by showcasing handwork like block printing and embroidery. It is clear that slow fashion, empowering artisans and sustaining heritage are integral to Xaura’s ethos. The designs are colorful, rich, yet extremely wearable all year round. Overall I love the energy I feel when I am in a Xaura piece.
To learn more about sustainable and ethical practices, you can reach Niha on www.tegacollective.com and www.eletbyniha.com. IG @Nihaelety
I believe the way in which I express my creativity primarily stems from my childhood. I have memories from my early days of playing with my mother’s silk sari’s, of making clothes of my Barbie dolls and for myself. A lot of these memories center around the many visits to my mother's hometown in India. As I grew into my teens these trips turned into opportunities to make my own customised garments for special occasions; from selecting the fabric, to dyeing it, and having it embroidered by local tailors. I remember visiting my grandfather's fabric printing mill and seeing first hand how the block prints on sari’s were done. Seeing what a beautiful process this hand craft is, I knew I wanted to bring these traditional artisanal skills to the global forefront in a timeless way. As my knowledge on the fashion industry broadened (having watched documentary: True Cost of Living, River Blue) I saw the impact that fast fashion has on our environment. I knew my brand needed to be purpose led with a more mindful approach, of it being part of slow fashion and an overarching goal of minimizing our footprint on the earth.
The Journey to India:
Though I am based in New Zealand, the work behind creating Xaura as both a concept and a brand happened in India. Within my first sourcing trip to India I sourced for fabric, suppliers, artisans and found a great patternmaker, Anwar. He helped me create my pieces and bring to life the designs I had drawn for the Mughal Collection. We made some prototypes and after many sessions making little adjustments to the fit and feel of the designs I settled on my final patterns. I knew that for Xaura I only wanted to utilise fabrics made from natural fibres as they bring more natural vibrations, which is something I wanted to showcase with my Xaura Pieces. With this I made the choice to work with cotton and linen fabrics as they are both biodegradable, making them the more sustainable option compared to polyester.
On my second trip to Mumbai, India I found a supplier that met the brand's requirements of (1) small production that incorporated ethical fair-trade practices such as fair wages, (2) a transparent supply chain, (3) a safe work environment for its workers, and (4) artisans working with them who provided traditional handmade skills. After that I spent many weeks testing colours, scaling embroidery patterns, and getting carvings of prints on wooden blocks for the prints. Eventually, the styles were ready for us to create a final sampling of the garments. Working with the grass roots artisans and seeing the garments of my first collection come to life made me feel like a kid again. I launched the first part of my collection on April 14th 2019
On the heels of a great response for the first half of my Mughal collection I was ready to start work on the launch of the second part which took me to India again. However this time I went to Delhi where I found a factory run by a woman named Sonam, who also collaborates with NGO groups to empower women. I planned for the latter collection to consist of hand block print techniques, which are more reminiscent of those found in the North parts of India. To help me on my journey I was introduced to the lovely Puran who works in quality control. With Puran I was able to visit block printers in their villages and test the prints and colours on my fabrics. This part was a lot of fun as I was also able to try the process out myself. After a few months of sampling and production, I released the second part of my collection.
This is my story so far as an entrepreneur and what an amazing journey it's been. In the next part i’ll share some challenges and Brand's vision and mission. Thank you all for your support, as without you this journey wouldn't have been possible.
Visit our collection here:
https://www.xaurathelabel.com/collections/mughal-collection
If you have any questions/feedback please do share
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With everyone and everything competing for our time, it’s easy to forget to take care and honor ourselves first, and others second. If you are feeling tired, frazzled or snappy, poor self-care is usually always the underlying problem.
Without proper self-care and simple indulgences, everything in life will seem hard. Slow down, take a break and prioritize yourself. It is essential for your mental health and well-being and listening to what your body needs doesn’t make you selfish, it makes you strong.
Below are Xaura’s top 20 self-care tips because we all need some extra love once in a while...
Journaling helps to reduce stress when life feels overwhelming. A quick 10-20 minute brain dump helps to clear the mind and puts things into perspective.
Exercising releases endorphins which also combats stress. We at Xaura love yoga, but do whatever feels good for you and your body. If you can’t fit exercise into your schedule then try doing 5 minutes of stretching or 50 jumping jacks. The important thing is to move your body to improve blood circulation.
Sometimes drinking herbal tea and water just doesn’t cut it. Treat yourself to a smoothie or a glass of your favorite red wine every once in a while.
We all know how good it feels to moisturize our body after a shower. Moisturise again at lunchtime or before you go to bed to give you an extra boost of yumminess.
Switch off social media for the night and immerse yourself in a good book. We love, 21 Lessons for the 21st century Yuval Noah Harari, Milk & Honey Rupi Kaur, Is everyone Hanging out with me? Mindy Kaling, The Alchemist Paulo Coleho.
When we practice mindfulness, we’re practicing the art of creating space for ourselves. Pausing and allowing ourselves space to think, space to breathe, and space between ourselves and our reactions helps us to live in the present moment.
Our body is made up of 70% water so we need to drink plenty to keep it functioning properly. Most people are chronically dehydrated so try and drink at least 2 liters of filtered water every day.
If there’s one thing we could get people to do, it’s to start the day with lemon and water. It’s one of the easiest and simplest health hacks. Benefits include better digestion, increased hydration + a healthy dose of vitamin C. It also does wonders for your skin!
Most of us are stuck indoors all day so take a break from the computer screen and go for a brisk walk around the block. Breathe in some of that fresh air!
Baths are the best thing in the world! We love adding essential oils, Epsom salt, scented candles, and music. Pure heaven.
Not just any chocolate, but good quality high-end chocolate. We love Honest Chocolate. Don’t scoff the whole box in one go though — savor each bite and appreciate the delicate balance of textures and flavors.
Organizing a cupboard and throwing away or gifting unwanted items may not sound enjoyable, but it does wonders to clear your mind. As Marie Kondo would say, discard everything that does not "Sparks Joy". Here is a good checklist on How to organise your Home
Sometimes a good ol’ natter can do wonders for our wellbeing so call up an inspiring and uplifting friend. They’ll be pleased you called.
Get a full 8 hours of sleep at night. This should be non-negotiable. It’s not rocket science, so getting a good amount of sleep helps your body recharge so you can be more productive the next day.
Looking at water and listening to its sound puts our overloaded minds into relax mode. Visit the beach, lake, river or sit beside a pond and just marvel at water’s healing powers.
There is so much to be thankful for in life and we can often forget this. Consciously writing 10 things down we are grateful for reminds us how very fortunate we really are.
Why not treat yourself to a face mask and sit back with a glass of bubbly and some relaxing music? You deserve it.
Booking yourself in for a relaxing massage is the ultimate sign of self-care. It’s a great way to melt away any stress, anxiety, and tensions in the body. Thai massage are our fave.
Women are born to be creative. Engaging in arts and crafts can be very relaxing and rewards us with the feeling of accomplishment when it’s completed. We at Xaura obviously love designing and creating beautiful garments but do whatever your heart desires. You could try mindfulness coloring, baking, knitting, sewing, painting or flower arranging.
If your schedule is arranged in a way that there’s no time for a break then you really need to cut back on work. Schedule in a holiday for your own sanity. Taking breaks is essential for our mind, body, and spirit.
This lovely blog was written by Juliana Stewart, Lifestyle & Relationship Blogger @ ladiesletschat.com
Climate change is real. Xaura is conscious of how our actions affect our planet and is choosing to be a ethical & sustainable fashion brand.
]]>What are we doing to combat this problem?
While we would love to claim that we are 100% sustainable, unfortunately, it is not completely possible as we need to use water, energy and other resources to create our garments. However, we are dedicated to leaving behind a minimal environmental footprint and ensuring that our factories and garment workers perform best practices to achieve fair and safe working conditions for everyone.
For example, traditional textile crafts are at risk of dying and being taken over by machines due to the demands of fast fashion or clothes made cheaply to meet demands for the hot new styles. Xaura aims to support this craftsmanship by keeping it alive. Many women rely on these skills to support their family and we want to empower these women by helping them to cultivate their talent so they can grow and become independent.
We also strive to use sustainable, natural fibers and textiles, such as cotton and linen which are easily biodegradable. We don’t use synthetic harmful materials such as polyester. Did you know Polyester can take upto 20 - 200 years to decompose and they are filled with many chemicals, causing greenhouse gases into the environment, which can cause significant environmental damage, so we completely avoid it.
We live and breathe slow, ethical and sustainable fashion. Every decision that goes into our planning, creation and collaboration with our garment workers all come from peace and love. We challenge ourselves daily to make more conscious decisions so that we can help and inspire our artisan community as well as women around the world.
How can you make a change?
Xaura: Three words to describe yourself?
Ayisha: Kind, adventurous, loyal
Xaura: What are some things you are passionate about?
Ayisha: Travelling / Fitness / Food / Family / The outdoors
Xaura: What are your favourite self care tips?
Ayisha:
Xaura: What are some of the things you're doing to live a conscious lifestyle?
Ayisha: I minimise the use of plastic - I’ve seen the harm plastic has done to our marine life during my diving trips and its devastating to see what we have done to our planet. Ways of reducing my use of plastic: I've replaced all food containers with glass containers, I use biodegradable bags for rubbish bins and use wooden utensils for my lunch boxes and picnics. Also, I only buy food and drink items that come in paper bags or glass bottles and make sure to recycle any waste correctly. I also try and minimise my carbon footprint - I'd rather walk for 45 mins than take the bus or drive.
Xaura: What is your most important reason for you to go travelling? Why?
Ayisha: I travel to be more well-rounded. I like to experience the culture and behaviours of other people that I wouldn't come across at home. It is very interesting to me to learn how whatever country I am visiting, is what it is today and how the people and their culture have evolved.
Xaura: What's your favourite memorable moment in your travels in Marakesh?
Ayisha: Staying in the Agafay Desert. We had stayed at a luxury desert camp that does not have any electricity. The best moment was when watching the sun set behind the rolling hills of sand and seeing the camp lit up by candlelights. It was very romantic.
Xaura: What are the some of the best spots to stay/eat/visit in Marakesh?
Ayisha:
Xaura: What does it feel like to wear Xaura?
Ayisha:
I like the fact that the garments are made out of high quality material along with a flattering silhouette, Xaura has created timeless garments that suit every women’s body type. Being ethically-made and taking on the concept of slow fashion, Xaura ties in with my conscious lifestyle and still makes me feel fashionable and fabulous. The breathability of the garments and the bright colours suits every summer vacations - def packing my Xaura outfits on my next trip.
Kavita here, designer and creator of the label Xaura. I was born in a small town in Fiji where I grew up surrounded by water, warm summers and a simple childhood of playing outside with nature. At the age of 12 my family and I moved to New Zealand. Being Indian made me “different” back then. It wasn’t cool to have roti wraps at school or put coconut oil in your hair. The result was that I became a very self-conscious and shy child. I wasn't able to voice my thoughts and feelings openly, particularly due to the feeling of not fitting in.
During my high school years I took on sewing and design, this opened me up to the freeing world of creativity. I started making clothes for myself and made artistic alterations to items I already owned. Not only was I able to express myself and my individuality through fashion, but I had created a space where I felt like I finally fit in.
Despite completing a degree in IT and Marketing, I decided to pursue a course in Fashion Design which is where I began my journey in the industry which has spanned over 10 years.
Having my own label has been a dream of mine for many years and, with the support from loved ones, I finally took a leap of faith. In 2018 Xaura was born. Being able to integrate both sides of my upbringing, my Indian heritage and Western culture, has given me an avenue to express my own true self. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to work with artisans of India, which in turn supports them in keeping their unique craft alive. I want to be able to make women feel good about themselves and to encourage them to showcase their individuality through Xaura.
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Here’s some insights we received:
What are the three special things you're doing to live a conscious lifestyle?
Livia: I am living a vegan lifestyle, I only purchase sustainably and ethically-made fashion and I only use natural beauty products.
What are your favourite self care tips?
Livia: Applying a face mask, working out, eating a healthy meal and taking the time to listen to some music and lay in the sun.
What is your most important reason for you to go travelling? Why?
Livia: Travelling inspires me and my creativity. When I travel, I am able to be present and live in the moment.
What's your favourite moment at a resort?
Livia: I love laying by the pool or sea and feel the sun on my skin.
What does it feel like wearing Xaura?
Livia: I love the soft fabrics and the lovely bright colours. I especially love moving in the flowy skirts - I feel fun and feminine.
You can find Livia here to get great tips on how to live consciously.