How slow fashion is the future of fashion

If we want slow fashion to grow beyond a niche category and become a true movement in India, we need more than just demand – we need infrastructure, suggests Pragya Priyali and Piyush Kumar.

Across the Indian fashion landscape, a shift is slowly but unmistakably underway.

Once fuelled by a race to keep up with trends and lightning-speed production cycles, the industry is beginning to respond to a more thoughtful consumer – one who values transparency, craftsmanship, and longevity. Particularly post-pandemic, Indian consumers are asking harder questions about where their clothes come from, who made them, and what impact their wardrobe choices have on the world. And as sustainability takes centre stage in lifestyle decisions, slow fashion – an approach that celebrates mindful creation and consumption feels not just like a promising movement, but an inevitable future.

But while the philosophy of slow fashion may sound idyllic, those of us working to build consciously from the ground up know the truth – creating ethical, seasonless fashion in India at scale and with integrity is riddled with roadblocks.

The fabric reality for small brands

Sourcing the right fabric is where most slow fashion brands begin, and where many start to stumble. The reality is that accessing sustainable textiles in small quantities is an uphill battle.

Most mills and fabric suppliers operate with Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs) that cater to large players. If you’re a young or independent brand looking for 100 metres or so of chances are you’re either priced out or deprioritized. Often, suppliers will not entertain low-volume orders, or worse, will offer deadstock or sub-par material in the name of sustainability. Even when suitable fabrics are found, inconsistencies in dye lots, weave tightness, or GSM can derail entire production plans – a significant issue for small brands that rely on limited inventory cycles.

Another major gap – there’s no centralized platform in India for ethically sourced, small-quantity textiles. Unlike fast fashion houses that have access to global vendor networks and structured supply chains, slow fashion entrepreneurs must piece together sourcing relationships through trial and error, WhatsApp groups, and personal networks. As a brand that prides itself on offering clothes that feel fresh even after several washes and wears, Unrush has had to be highly selective and painfully patient, while building its fabric library.

Cost vs consciousness – Consumer expectations vs reality

One of the most persistent challenges for slow fashion brands in India is the mismatch between consumer intention and expectation. While many urban consumers now resonate with the ethos of slow fashion, there is still a strong tendency to compare prices with mass-produced, trend-forward alternatives. As a result, slow fashion brands are often asked to justify their prices despite building with ethical materials, fair wages, and limited batch runs.

The hard truth is that conscious fashion costs more to make. Sourcing small batches and refusing to mass-produce means slimmer margins. As a founder, you often walk a tightrope between wanting to honour the value chain and needing to stay accessible to a young, aspirational audience. We’ve learned that education has to be part of the brand’s offering – explaining the “why” behind a garment’s price, the story behind the fabric, or the human effort that went into each seam.

Our consumers today are thoughtful but not always informed. Transparency and trust, we believe, will drive the next phase of this movement.

Seasonless, not trendless – rethinking newness

In today’s fashion culture, the expectation to drop something “new” every few weeks is very real. It’s a model fast fashion perfected, and now even smaller brands are expected to follow suit. For slow fashion, this presents a creative dilemma: how do you offer freshness without feeding into trend cycles or overproduction?

At Unrush, our answer has been to create seasonless, modular designs—outfits that are relevant year-round, across cities and climates. Instead of thinking in terms of Spring/Summer or Fall/Winter, we think in terms of moods, occasions, and wearability. Styling becomes a storytelling tool. Through content, conversation, and community, we show how a single garment can be worn multiple ways. It’s about extending the life of a product not just physically, but emotionally. This approach not only aligns with slow fashion but also respects the cultural rhythms of Indian consumers—who, historically, have always re-worn, repurposed, and reimagined their clothing.

The MOQ and vendor hierarchy problem

While fabrics are the foundation, the rest of the supply chain – trims, buttons, linings, packaging presents its own bottlenecks for small brands. Most vendors prioritize high-volume orders. If you’re a brand placing an order for 50 pieces of biodegradable buttons or 30 metres of organic lining, you’re often met with silence or exorbitant prices. In many cases, you’re told to take what’s available in bulk or not at all.

This creates a two-fold problem – it limits design flexibility and innovation for emerging brands and  pushes many to settle for unsustainable or inconsistent components to meet deadlines. A functional ecosystem for small-batch manufacturing and conscious accessories is urgently needed in India. Shared platforms, cooperative vendor networks, or government-facilitated sourcing clusters could help democratize access for new-generation designers and labels.

The way forward

If we want slow fashion to grow beyond a niche category and become a true movement in India, we need more than just demand – we need infrastructure.

This includes:

• Government support for decentralized, ethical textile hubs
• Public-private partnerships to digitize artisan networks and provide traceability tools
• Financial incentives for low MOQ production units using eco-friendly practices
• Expos and trade platforms tailored to small brands, where fabric vendors, weavers, and sustainable material innovators can connect meaningfully

Brands also need support in product development labs, testing facilities for small runs, and sustainability certifications that are accessible to micro-entrepreneurs. We envision a future where India becomes the global epicenter of mindful fashion, not just for export, but for its own growing conscious class. The raw material is here. The craft is here. The demand is rising. What’s missing is the bridge.

Why slow fashion is the future

Despite the hurdles, we believe slow fashion is not just the future, but the antidote to a fatigued, extractive industry. At its heart, slow fashion is about respect. Respect for the maker. Respect for the material. Respect for the earth. And most importantly, respect for the wearer – not treating them as a consumer, but as someone whose identity and values can be reflected in what they choose to wear.

In a country as rich and diverse as India, where textile traditions have always been rooted in community, craft, and culture, slow fashion is not a Western import – it’s a homecoming. As young entrepreneurs building a brand like Unrush from scratch, we’ve come to see slow fashion not just as a product strategy, but a personal and professional philosophy. One that’s harder, yes. But one that also feels truer, more lasting, and ultimately, more human.

The future of fashion is not fast. It is slow, steady, and stitched with intention.

About the authors:

Pragya Priyali is the visionary Founder and Creative Director of Unrush, a slow fashion brand born out of her deep commitment to craftsmanship. With over 16 years of experience in the fashion industry, her journey began as a design graduate from NIFT Delhi and evolved into leadership roles in content, social, and brand marketing at India’s top fashion e-commerce platforms, including Myntra.

Piyush Kumar, a Co-founder & Supply Chain Lead of Unrush is a seasoned business strategy and operations leader with over 16 years of experience across industries, having worked with some of India’s most prominent companies, including Zomato, Flipkart, and Amazon. With a background in driving operational excellence and strategic growth, Piyush has now brought his expertise into the world of fashion as the co-founder of Unrush, a slow fashion brand that challenges fast fashion by promoting timeless, sustainable, and culturally conscious clothing.