ABOUT
The Summer House is a small and honest company based out of Bangalore, India, handcrafting clothing and homewares for cerebral chic women across the globe. In The Summer House, they have made a choice to say no to the easy way of sourcing materials. Each edit they produce has a story, and heart and uses responsible processes and old fashioned techniques to create products that will outlast the season. Designing and manufacturing in small batches, they thus keep in mind ethical production, quality and affordability.
IMPACT
People
They work with rural artisans, factories and premises that are certified and follow everything from fair wages to waste management. The team visits the factories often, but most of the time their work is with rural artisans. They never negotiate with artisans and give them the asking price. The Summer House produces in-house, with their production team also works in their well-lit and airy studio. They are all paid above industry level wages.
Product
The Summer House stitches their products in their studio. The fabric is made across the country in different rural clusters based on where that art form is practised. Their materials are natural and biodegradable, and the fabrics that come from factories are all certified, and the rest come directly from the looms of rural artisans. They design the garments and fabrics in-house, send these fabric specifications to the artisans who then weave/print/embroider it as required. At last, they finish the garments in their studio. For readymade fabrics like cotton, Tencel etc. the brand sources them from a certified factory in Bangalore. Each and every garment made in The Summer House is sustainably made right from the farm to the customer’s closet.
Packaging
Planet
The Summer House recycles their fabric scraps into new fabrics from which they can make new garments. The Summer House does not track carbon footprint and water usage in terms of numbers but all their factories have certified wastewater management systems in place. Their production processes are zero waste. They utilise circular methods of production and understand the flaws of the current model of take-make-waste. The brand is also in the process of putting in place a system that eradicates waste in their studio with thoughtful design. The team highly considers the reusability of products and materials. By creating a circular design process, the brand can also ensure they don’t constantly deplete limited natural resources.
Principles
The overriding principle for The Summer House is – you are what you choose. The brand will only make choices that are sustainable, but also responsible and inclusive. The team expands upon and explains this principle to their community through transparency, and the processes they use in production. They also share as much information and knowledge as they can through their website and social media. The Summer House team are constantly learning more and keeping themselves updated because there’s always something new to learn and do better.
