Style & Sustainability going hand-in-hand at Ed-a-mamma
Launched by Indian actor Alia Bhatt in October 2020, Ed-a-Mamma is a sustainable kids wear brand that cares about children and the earth. With a vision to change the planet one product at a time the brand offers a series of products—all designed to help put the planet first and build a conscious generation. In a chat with Fibre2Fashion, Business Head Iffat Jivan discusses sustainable clothing for kids in India, and growth and expansion of the brand.
How and when did Ed-a-Mamma begin?
Ed-a-Mamma was conceptualised in 2019 when actor Alia Bhatt decided that she wanted to do something meaningful in the kids’ space. A concept that would help kids understand the importance of sustainability and conserving the environment. It was conceived as a content driven apparel brand, that would talk to kids through stories and educate them about an alternate lifestyle and nurture in them a love for the planet.
We felt that kids are the ones who are going to kind of take this entire vision and thought forward, because they’re the ones going to be the leaders of tomorrow. So, the idea was to educate them and talk to them in a non-preachy way about an alternate lifestyle that’s possible and really very doable.
Alia (Bhatt) has always been a true environmentalist and she has an NGO called Coexist that works only in this space. So, it stems from there and then the idea ‘why not get into the kids’ space?’ because that is something that is untapped even from our product perspective and it fits really well in the storyline. That’s how the whole concept of Ed-a-Mamma came into being.
Alia has been actively involved since inception right from giving inputs on styling to reviewing the prints and the final collections. We were to launch the brand in March 2020 but unfortunately the plan was a little bit derailed because the pandemic hit leading to a lockdown. Since we already had the inventory ready, we decided to proceed with a soft launch on 29th October 2020. We launched exclusively on First Cry for six months because logistics then was still a problem due to lockdown protocols. In the first month of the launch, the brand did a top line of ₹1 crore, and that too without any marketing. It was purely on the basis of product and we announced Alia as the founder of the brand in November. Since then there’s been no looking back.
What does Ed-a-Mamma stand for?
In our books we talk about a little girl and her adventures to save the planet. In the first book itself she rescued the dog, and his name is Edward, so that’s where the name Ed-a-Mamma comes from. Ed’s Mamma—so the girl is Edward’s Mamma. That’s how Ed-a-Mamma came into being, but actually Alia has a cat called Edward who she uses as an inspiration for a lot of things. So, on a personal front, Ed-a-Mamma has actually come into being because Edward is Alia’s cat’s name, and she is the Ed’s Mama.
How is the demand for conscious clothing in India when it comes to kidswear?
I wouldn’t say people are looking for conscious clothing specifically, because I don’t think that an average Indian customer has yet evolved and reached a stage where he understands sustainability. And hence our entire goal is to educate them, talk to kids, talk to parents and constantly be communicating with them to make them understand that it is possible to buy clothes that are sustainable yet inexpensive and fun.
We know that kids outgrow clothes very fast, so when we launched Ed-a-Mamma, we kept in mind that the brand will be a sustainable brand but at the same time it would be affordable so that people don’t have to think twice before buying it. Generally, sustainable means expensive and boring dull colours. And normally when you see organic and sustainable clothes, they have a certain tone like colour, styling and also in terms of pricing they are slightly more premium products. Our entire team has tried to make Ed-a-Mamma an accessible brand for anyone who wants to buy its products. And at the same time, it has to be fun and vibrant so that the kids would like to wear it. We have been pretty much successful in establishing ourselves in that space.
What makes Ed-a-Mamma different from other brands?
Ed-a-Mamma is very different from the currently existing sustainable brands purely because of the scale we work on. Most of the brands in the sustainable segment are fairly small brands and they do not have an all-India presence. On the other hand, Ed-a-Mamma is a national brand. If you check other sustainable brands and compare the average selling price – the MRP, you will find that Ed-a-Mamma is way more affordable than any other sustainable brand. Lastly our product offering is our USP—we offer everything right from casual wear and play wear and essentials, without charging a premium.
How many collections do you come up within a year?
We do around six collections in a season. So, it would work out to 14 collections in a year. Every season we keep adding products. We had 162 styles when we launched, and today we are at 1,250 plus in terms of the product offering. Even in terms of categories, we have expanded quite a lot. We have launched a line of green denims which is something that not many sustainable brands have been able to achieve. Our denimwear is processed in special plants where there’s zero liquid discharge, no chemical emission, and all dyes and chemicals used are safe for the environment. That was one product offering that we launched last season. In this season, we have also launched essentials which are antimicrobial 100 per cent cotton. This season, we have also introduced essentials made out of bamboo fibre—which has socks, briefs, vests, starter bras and sports bras. Earlier, we had product offering for 2-14 age group, and now we offer for 4-16. Thus, we are constantly adding new categories to the brand. The idea is to make Ed-a-Mamma a one stop shop for parents and kids.
Which are your best performing markets?
Our best performing markets are in western India, followed by South, North, and East in that order. In terms of cities, it is Mumbai Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Delhi, followed by a couple of tier 2 cities. Off late, we have seen a lot of traction from the North, so now we have opened a dedicated distribution centre in Ghaziabad, in addition to a distribution centre we already have on the outskirts of Mumbai.
What kinds of fabrics and dyes do you use to make kidswear?
We use only natural fibres. No man-made fibres are used in our garments. We use fabrics made from 100 per cent natural fibres. We do not use any fabrics that are made from polyester, or any other man-made fibre. This includes even our winter line like sweaters. We are probably the only brand that is doing 100 per cent cotton sweaters. This enhances the product quality. So, we tell parents that your kids may outgrow the clothes, but clothes will not get worn out, and they can be passed down to your children’s siblings and friends. Thus, we encourage sustainability also from that angle.
In terms of dyes and colours, we use only AZO free dyes that are safe for kids. We also have special safety standards which are set internally by our technical team and our quality team. So, everything that goes into production is tested. We have a battery of tests that we run at our nominated laboratory and all vendors have to follow those protocols.
What new products do you plan to add in future?
There’s a lot happening, and you will hear soon from us on this.
What are your plans for the future? Do you plan to get into physical stores as well?
The Ed-a-Mamma brand has already expanded by a sizable percentage year-on-year in terms of growth numbers. We are already in physical stores like Shoppers Stop and Lifestyle. We currently have 38 counters at various Shoppers Stop and Lifestyle stores across the country. We will be launching our own brand outlets in another six to eight months. These are not going to be only a space where we want to sell clothing, but rather an experience centre.
Published on: 27/09/2022
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.
