Less Is More: Responsible Fashion for India’s Future
India’s rivers, mountains and air are under strain. Discover why choosing fewer, better-made garments matters — and how responsibility shapes the future of fashion.
India is one of the most extraordinary landscapes in the world — and one of the most environmentally strained.
Our rivers tell this story clearly. The Ganga supports close to 40% of the country’s population, yet large stretches remain heavily polluted. The Yamuna, lifeline of Delhi, regularly carries sewage levels far beyond safe limits. Rivers such as the Mithi, Musi, and Sabarmati reflect the growing pressure of rapid urbanisation and consumption.
Up north, the Himalayas — our natural water towers — are warming faster than the global average. Retreating glaciers threaten long-term water security for hundreds of millions. These are not distant environmental issues; they shape everyday life in India.
Closer to home, every winter brings another reminder. Across North India, especially the Delhi NCR, air pollution levels rise sharply year after year. What was once a season to step outdoors and enjoy crisp mornings has increasingly become a time of closed windows, air purifiers, and advisories to stay indoors.
Fashion plays a subtle but significant role in this strain.
India is increasingly absorbing surplus clothing — excess fast-fashion inventory routed through neighbouring manufacturing hubs, and used or discarded garments shipped in from Western countries. While reuse has its place, unchecked inflow of low-quality clothing often shifts the environmental burden rather than reducing it. Much of it ends up in informal dumping grounds, low-value recycling, or landfills.
No country should become the dumping ground for global fast fashion.
A less is more approach isn’t about owning less for effect. It’s about owning better. Fewer garments. Better materials. Longer use. Repair instead of replace. When clothes last, waste reduces at the source.
Ten years from now, we should feel proud — not of how much we produced or consumed, but of how thoughtfully we chose. Of cleaner rivers, breathable winters, respected craftsmanship, and wardrobes built on longevity rather than excess.
Sometimes, real progress doesn’t come from more.
It comes from doing things better.