FABORG

A REPORT ON SUSTAINABLE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PRESENTED BY
- PRAGATI JOSHI
- SRESHTHA CHAUDHURY

Under the guidance of

Dr. Goutam Saha
ABSTRACT

Production of wool goes back to 9000-11000 years as per Wikipedia

but if PETA is to be believed then production process of wool is just
as cruel as the making of leather and fur. Faborg is a company
which manyfactures and custom-make VEGAN WOOL fabrics that
strive for sustainability at every stage of their life cycle - from
production and processing to ultimate disposal.Gowri Shankar, the
founder of this brand, comes from a weavers community, which he
assumes to be a thousand years old. He believes it to be a tradition
that is on for a long time. Every day of his life he has seen people of
his community, including children, perform the weaving process.
During that journey, he saw a lot of chemical being used in the
dyeing process and decided that's not he wanted for himself.After
two years of continuous research on Calotropis, Gowri Shankar was
successful in extracting wool-like fibre from the stem and pod of the
plant. Following which he set up his first vegan wool processing unit
called “Weganool”.The ultimate aim of the brand is to generate added
income opportunities for farmers who own drylands as Calitropis is
a wasteland shrub that could be a very beneficial multi-crop product
and doesn’t require water to grow. Shankar also believes this to be
the most effective way of increasing awareness about the product
and gaining credibility amongst farmers.

KEYWORDS: Vegan wool, Sustainability, Calotropis Gigantea,

Weganool, Farmers, Auroville
 INTRODUCTION
Faborg makes custom natural fabrics that strive for sustainability at

every stage of their life cycle, from production, processing, and

ultimate disposal. They started developing fabrics from indigenous

fibres such as bowstring hemp. Working with natural colours, as well as

alternative natural colour fixing techniques rather than chemical ones.

Gowri Shankar, the founder of this brand, comes from a weavers

community, which he assumes to be a thousand years old. He believes it

to be a tradition that is on for a long time. Every day of his life he has

seen people of his community, including children, perform the weaving

process. During that journey, he saw a lot of chemical being used in the

dyeing process and decided that's not he wanted for himself. Starting

as a merchandiser, Shankar always wanted to start a sustainable

freelance company. The first thing that Mr. Gowri Shankar did was

research distinct plants and their uses. During his research period, he

came across Ayurvedic plants named Calotropis Gigantea and

Calotropis Procera. These plants grew in barren lands which weren’t

considered ideal for agriculture. After two years of continuous research

on Calotropis, Gowri Shankar was successful in extracting wool-like

fibre from the stem and pod of the plant. Following which he set up his

first vegan wool processing unit called “Weganool”. This is a one of its

kind sustainable product which is produced by altering present-day

practices.
CHALLENGES AND
OVERCOMING
THEM
In the commencement, Gowri Shankar didn’t have an understanding

of the plant apart from the limited knowledge that they acquired

from the studies which were done by other researchers in the past.

However, those examinations were conducted in a very particular

manner which didn’t emphasize the holistic picture of it because

the researchers belonged to different industries. Some were

studying to find out about the plant's medicinal properties such as

mosquito repellent properties or insect repellent abilities. The

Internet did have a lot of information on the plant already but the

critical thing which was missing was how to process it in a way that

could ensure optimal utilization of the plant. To make absolute use

of the plant and make the entire procedure sustainable, chemicals

shouldn't be used during the process. Using chemicals would turn

the bi-product into sludge. There is a certain mass that comes out

in fibre production which then becomes sludge if it is processed

with heavy chemicals. This sludge is a bio waste that is non-

disposable and is generally used by cement industries and other

construction industry which isn’t a sustainable way to dispose of

FIGURE 1.
sludge. Gowri Shankar and his team were determined not to create

this biowaste through their production process and that’s how their

second product “arka“ came into the picture. Following a lot of

trials in around 500 acres of farms and on 30 different crops

they eventually succeeded in creating fertilizer for farmers which was a

resolution to 90 per cent of their difficulties. Arka repels insects without

killing them and is also a solution to plant viruses. Arka is provided to farmers

at a 70 per cent cheaper subsidised rate so that farmers can obtain it easily.

The team has thought of the project in a holistic way instead of just looking

at it with one single aspect of obtaining fibre.

The founder Gouri Shankar believes that to have a vision and establishment

as Faborg, and to bring it to a farm level in a sustainable way is a challenge

in itself. However, they are ready to face this journey every day by providing

the right education to farmers, consumers and other sustainable startups. The

first step of this education is to unlearn what we already know about

sustainability and get over misconceptions. The understanding of what is not

sustainable can only be gained by exchanging our knowledge with others.

This is particularly difficult in an age like this where companies aren’t ready

to be transparent about the manufacturing processes and how the science

behind sustainability works.

As far as raising funds, collaborating with others and potential investors go,

Shankar would rather fly solo until he gets the right fit. According to him,

such investments usually come with riders but for them, it is about how they

can take their knowledge to everybody. They’ve patented those big

companies so that the big companies can’t take advantage of them. Sharing

that at best, Faborg will opt for crowdfunding, Shankar mentions that his

priority isn’t just about looking for someone to help them but placing more

faith in the farmers to support the project. With the calotropis plant available

in plenty, Shankar sees no reason why this model shouldn’t pick up the pace,

especially when it comes to cultivating barren land. He believes that this is a

system overhaul that will not more than 10 years.

PEOPLE, PLANET
AND PROFIT
The ultimate aim of the brand is to generate added income opportunities

for farmers who own drylands as Calitropis is a wasteland shrub that could

be a very beneficial multi-crop product and doesn’t require water to grow.

Shankar also believes this to be the most effective way of increasing

awareness about the product and gaining credibility amongst farmers. In

Tamil Nadu, most of the lands are sown only once a year, during the rainy

season which is the only time when they have a water supply. To make use

of their lands when there is no rain, Calitropis can be sown by the farmers

as no irrigation is required. The plant is perennial hence It does not need

seasonal replanting and gives a bi-annual yield. If they use Calotropis as a

multi-crop along with other crops, then the farmers will have work

throughout the twelve months and not just during the rainy season. Farmers

can plough the lands again and plant them with other crops. Multi

cropping of Calitropis is supported with corn, millets, etc. As of now, the

farmers earn for just three months but if they multi-crop it with Calitropis

then they would work and earn for 12 months which increases farmers

income by 4 times. He believes it is a need and possibility to create a

stronger economy around places where there is no water. Moreover, its

production is entirely manual, thus empowering rural women by giving them

work and improving the rural economy. The startup aims to curb the

migration of farmers in search of jobs and make them financially self-

sustaining.
It is also working towards saving water, using existing resources to their fullest

potential, and making nature-friendly practices the norm of the industry.

Production of 1 kg WEGANOOL with regenerative rain-fed cotton yarn saves

27,000 litres of clean drinking water compared to 100% cotton yarn. Thus, it is

moving forward to realise the UN Sustainable Development Goals and aspires to

replace chemical-based products with practically sustainable alternatives. The

team’s stellar efforts are gaining traction among the fashion community, with

Faborg winning the PETA India Vegan Fashion Award 2020 for Weganool.

Faborg lives up to the definition of sustainability which is meeting our present

needs without compromising the needs of the future generation.

PRICING

Though the fabric has not yet entered major distribution markets, Weganool was

presented at the 9th Future Fabrics Expo held in London in January 2020, where

it gained much attention from European labels. It was picked up by Infantium

Victoria, a German luxury but ethical kidswear brand, for their Fall/Winter

collection of 2021.

The items are retailing online at prices ranging from 150 Euros to 575 Euros. A

metre-long Cashmere shawl will cost 20,000 INR, whereas the Weganool

equivalent can come for 1,500 INR. This got other fashion brands and wool

manufacturers in Europe curious to sample it. For swatches, customers have to

reach out to Faborg. In India, a nominal cost of 100 INR per swatch plus

courier/shipping charges are taken care of by the customer.

FABORG'S SHARED
LEARNINGS

Gowri Shankar feels that innovation should not be restricted to the

crème de la crème of society. He thinks that with a little

cooperation between stakeholders, even a plant growing in the wild

can serve as a masterful solution to many problems.

For entrepreneurs, Gowri Shankar feels it is necessary to ask “why”

and “how” questions when starting a venture. They need to be clear

about what they are doing and want to achieve. They need to step

up and keep working towards their goal until they have a

breakthrough. Entrepreneurs need to set new goals for themselves

and spend more time reading, researching and learning.

Faborg feels that innovation and collaboration of bright minds need

to be encouraged for sustainability to flourish. True creativity is to

fabricate beauty while improving life on earth and should be

emphasized in the industry. It is trying to make a permanent change

by establishing long-term collaborations with designers and brands.

FIGURE 1.
LEARNINGS/ TAKEAWAYS

Firstly, Weganool is Faborg’s testimony of how commercial fabric

manufacturing can bring a positive impact to the world.

All chemicals are not bad they are essential for the balance of a healthy

ecosystem. New-age textile factories should have sustainably sourced

chemicals in the form of minerals going in and anything coming out should

be suitable for farming purposes. H2O2, which is used for bleaching, can

also be produced through electrolysis (which is costly but is a completely

safe method). Therefore, it is important to address every input from a holistic

perspective.

Authentic, sustainable fabric producers and natural dyeing companies are

counting on designers and brands to educate themselves and use creative

approaches to produce innovative products. Generally, customers have very

limited information about the working of the industry, textiles in this case. So

they put their trust in brands that they think are responsible enough and

promote the use of natural products only.

So with brands acting as a bridge between the manufacturers and

consumers, it is their responsibility to get on the ground and do their

research to help in differentiating between facts and deceiving marketing.

People working in the industry already know that some certifications do not

really guarantee or mean anything anymore, and the time is not far when

the end customers also become aware of this and start looking for such

brands who not only promise but also deliver.

Also, it is not always wise to go with the face values of brands and

their promises. Customers must always try to question and find out

the reality behind the finished products, be it their sources or the

internal conditions of the brand or even the eco-friendliness.

STRENGTHS
Faborg addressed the unfair conditions in which sheep are

bred and reared for wool. The process of “Mulesing” is a very

disturbing process in which the skin of the sheep is cut to

prevent “flystrike”. So they decided to look for a way to obtain

natural wool without infringing the rights of an animal.

Weganool was a whole innovation for the textile industry to

introduce this animal-free alternative for wool.

Weganool is a chemical-free and zero-waste fibre from start

to disposal. Every process involved in the extraction of the fibre

from the Calotropis plant is sustainable, including dyeing

where plant-based natural colours from locally available

marigold, indigo, pomegranate and berries are used.

The natural hollow cellulose structure and temperature

regulating property of the calotropis is similar to that of the

finest cashmere. That makes Weganool unique and a natural fit

for colder countries.

The calotropis fibre is also more versatile than the ones from

hemp or banana as it can lend itself to various blends. It also

provides anti-microbial properties to the fabric.

Also, the Calotropis plant does not take much from the land

(water) but gives it back by improving the soil and yield of the

plants.

To further make the entire process zero-waste, Gowri Shankar

found that once the fibre was obtained, the remaining plant

components could be used to make a liquid extract. Thus,

“Arka” was launched. It was not only used by farmers as a bio-

fertiliser and pest repellent to practice chemical-free

agriculture. By mixing neem, eucalyptus and lemongrass, Arka

can also be used as a natural mosquito repellent by the service

industry.

Faborg also follows a zero-discharge policy where every drop

of water used in the manufacturing of Weganool and natural

dyes, is redirected for the production of Arka.

OPPORTUNITIES
Usually, when unmonitored, as trees near Calotropis become

tall, their shadows make the shrubs disappear, leading to crops

being prone to grazing and the lack of Calotropis yield.

700 kilograms of the stem is processed to extract 7 kilograms

of fibre which is a tedious process when done without the use

of any harmful chemicals.

It can be considered a perfect alternative to cashmere where

a metre-long Cashmere shawl will cost Rs. 20,000, whereas

the Weganool equivalent can come for Rs. 1,500.