Steps in Slow Fashion

When you look into the mirror, won’t you be delighted to know that the apparel that you have adorned has fabrics sourced locally, was put together with the utmost love and care by local women, and not hurriedly made in a sweatshop.

We, here at Smart Family, side with those who    despite the odds of the market    choose to create a Nepali brand. With the motto, “Where less is more,” Kashyapi Nepal chooses to stay ethical and produce apparels with locally sourced materials. They focus on developing slow fashion, as opposed to fast fashion. It is a movement to design, create and craft good quality clothing to lengthen the lifespan of the garment. In the process of making such type of clothing they choose to be sustainable and harmless to the environment, and ethical to workers and customers by providing fair wages and charging only reasonable prices.  

To know the story behind the creation of Kashyapi, we sat down with its founder Kishan Shrestha, a young budding entrepreneur,who with the support of his family and friends wants to make a difference in Nepali fashion. 

How did the idea come to be?
It is an idea that came from my childhood. My mother worked in tailoring so I was always at arms reach of the tools and I could watch her take ordinary cloth and stitch them into wonderful kurthas. Her passion for fabrics and clothes grew on me as I watched her work and this drive in me took a step further when I worked in a textile factory, giving room for my curiosity to grow even more.

What does Kashyapi aim to bring to the market? What new can the people expect?
Kashyapi aims to bring clothes which are slow fashion oriented. The slogan of Kashyapi “Where less is more” is focused toward slow fashion and sustainability of clothes and fabrics. It also indicates the company’s minimalist approach.

Where do you get the materials from? Since all Kashyapi products are local products, how are all the products made?
Fabrics and materials are handpicked from local markets and stitched, packed and processed according to the need in our factory, where they are worked on by local women.

There are a lot of fashion brands that are season oriented, how has Kashyapi organized its market?
Kashyapi provides ethically made slow fashion clothes at reasonable prices, setting us apart from most clothing stores and brands in the market today. We provide very quick free deliveries within the valley, with deliveries available within the country and internationally too.  

What is the main objective of Kashyapi as a clothing brand? Why was it established as a clothing brand?
Kashyapi has a vision to bring a sense of knowledge about sustainable, ethical and slow fashion among the people in Nepal. As a local brand, one main objective of every startup would be to go international (global) and represent their nation worldwide through successful and continuous efforts. Kashyapi Nepal also aims to reach the peak of success and progress.

As a clothing brand, what does Kashyapi specialize in?
As a clothing brand we focus specifically on clothes made of cotton fabric, jackets, and hopefully more products in the upcoming future.

How have you made yourself known to the public?
We have been conducting timely giveaways from our side and make good use of advertisements on various social media outlets such as Facebook and Instagram. We try to build our follower and fan base naturally and organically which we think is far beneficial for engagements.We have also collaborated with various public figures to share the word of love. We had also put up stalls locally in special occasions to engage with the public and so on.

What are the future plans at Kashyapi?  What does the future hold?
We are looking to increase the scale of our business, at the same time increasing our reaches for future collaborations with various brands. The other focus is to improve our workspace and bring additional equipment which will further allow us to launch multiple outlets and establish ourselves as a prominent Nepalese fashion brand. Moreover, Kashyapi also aims to promote slow fashion.