Chalo

Long description

Chalo is a fashion resale marketplace for South Asian ethic wear to help diaspora communities redefine their consumption patterns and create an inclusive circular economy. It focuses on disrupting cultural consumption patterns and harnessing community values to scale a platform that will take the fashion industry into a just, and sustainable transition. According to Thredup and GlobalData, the fashion resale market is growing at a rate 11 times faster than traditional retail – being worth $84 billion by 2030 (Thredup, 2021). Growth this fast is bound to leave some of the world’s most prominent but neglected communities out of the movement, and that needs to change. Although re-sale platforms for western clothing have had success, social innovation and design can help us build off of existing technologies to make them more effective and impactful for niche communities. To create effective circular cycles in our economy, it is important to make sure that no one is left behind. One-size-fit’s all models fail in policy, so why would we pursue them in innovation? There are 3 million South Asians in the UK whose consumer values are important. I am exploring how that can be harnessed locally on an online marketplace platform that will have a global impact. This platform not only aims to reduce fashion and textile waste, but also to educate communities that are left out of environmental discussions. This way we can create a movement that travels back to the South Asian subcontinent and delivers change from the bottom up.

Additional Images