Chaykra
Priya and Divya Kukar had a vision of creating a yoga clothing brand combining comfort and style, while paying homage to yoga’s Indian roots and their heritage. Chaykra reflects their ‘Brindian’ identity, infusing classic British elegance with Indian vibrancy and color. All the clothes are made from breathable fabric and are super soft & comfortable to help you relax and have a truly energizing yoga practice. The brand name comes from the Sanskrit word 'chakra' which relates to the spinning wheels of energy within the body. They added a 'Y' to balance out the word, a dual symbol for both 'yoga' and 'you'. Yoga balances chakra energy flows and gives valuable time for self-reflection. The brand was founded out of a desire to do good, to give back to India for giving the world the gift of yoga, as well as promoting a feel good factor. When you choose Chaykra you are not only making a choice for stylish high quality garments, you are also supporting a brand committed to ethical practices and positive energy.
Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit work ‘yug’, meaning ‘to join together.’ This principle is one of the key anchor values of the brand. Everyone involved in the production process is important and the goal is to have consumers feel a connection with the source of their garments. In fact, a key motivation behind the brand’s creation was their desire to help the Indian community. Committed to the principles of fair trade, Priya and Divya have gone to great lengths to ensure the materials and factories used uphold the highest of ethical standards. They hope the brand values resonate with others. When you choose to wear Chaykra clothes you are making a choice for sustainable, high quality and stylish yogawear. The idea of respecting the rights of the extended Chaykra family is close to our hearts and a value we are determined to always uphold. Chaykra´s clothing factory supports Fair Trade manufacture. Fairtrade is a global movement whose goal it is to help producers in developing countries achieve better trading conditions and sustainability. The factory has an SA8000 certification which is an auditable global standard for managing human rights in the workplace. This ensures ethical treatment of employees and the implementation of effective labor practices. As well as complying with the standard 'no child labor' and 'minimum wage' objectives, the factory also regulates maximum working hours and remunerates overtime work. Moreover, they also provide additional benefits including a company bus to take workers to and from the factory, subsidized canteen meals, medical insurance and supporting education for the workers' children. Chaykra strongly believes that transparency can be a force for good and help to create a fairer fashion industry, which is the reason why factory workers are introduced on a personal level on the website. Your clothes are not made by ‘faceless’ machines but by real people with interesting backgrounds and dreams for the future.
The factory is also certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). Below is an overview of GOTS minimum social criteria which protects the rights of farmers and factory workers.
Employment is freely chosen
Working conditions are safe and hygienic
Child Labour MUST not be used
Living wages are paid
Working hours are not excessive
No discrimination is practised
Regular employment is provided
Harsh or inhumane treatment is prohibited
The cotton used in Chaykra´s garments come from Chetna Organic who works with more than 15,000 small and marginal farmers, helping them to improve their livelihood options and to increase the sustainability and profitability of their farming systems. Garments manufactured from Chetna cotton are completely traceable, right down to a specific farmer's field. The cotton from Chetna Organic is fair trade certified. Producers receive a fairtrade premium on top of a Fairtrade minimum price. This premium has been used by the Chetna farmers groups to support a number of community-based and social projects. A warehouse has been constructed where cotton can be stored until low season when prices are higher. Previously, farmers were risking their families' health and safety by storing the cotton in their living spaces, where it could attract various fungi and insects, as well as posing a dangerous fire hazard. The premium has also been invested in social projects like starting up a nursery for the children of farm laborers, constructing a women's restroom and improving local sanitation facilities. Projects intended to create viable income generating opportunities have also been supported such as the construction of lentil and rice mills, a bio-fertilizer unit and the purchase of a tractor and cattle.
The clothes are extremely comfortable and many customers have referenced the high quality natural feel of the fabric and the fact they love the eco & ethical credentials of the brand. The material is breathable due to the natural fabric composition which makes it ideal for yoga / pilates and even loungewear. Central to the philosophy of yoga is unity between the body, mind and spirit. This ethos is mirrored by Chaykra through the encouragement of a holistic approach to health and wellbeing. By sharing information through their blog and newsletter, they hope to be a guiding hand in your personal wellness journey. Also, by wearing natural fabrics you will be more comfortable and effective during your practice.
Based: London, UK.
Ships to: Worldwide.
Products: Organic cotton yogawear and loungewear.
Mission: All our garments are ethically made in India with fair trade, GOTS certified organic cotton. The premise is to take yogawear back to its roots and bring a more mindful, sustainable consciousness to yoga fashion buying behavior.
Vision: To introduce more natural and vegan fabrics to athleisure and more broadly fashion, showing how they can provide energizing benefits by being more breathable for the skin. Also, to reflect care for people and planet via our brand and clothes by producing fair trade, ethically produced and eco garments! In addition we aspire to show how ethical & eco fashion can be vibrant with interesting patterns / designs
URL: https://chaykra.com
