Urvi Lahoti

Growing up, Urvi experienced a zero-waste household at home, where her mother transformed scrap-cloth into fillers for quilts. But the cities she ended up living in were use-and-throw surroundings. Urvi was mocked for up-cycling old dresses or using DIY notebooks. Giving up her high-paying corporate job to pursue fellowships in rural India, she spent years in villages trying to understand different traditions, living with indigenous communities and tribes. She saw the products they made — decor, jewelry — using eco-friendly, locally-sourced materials. The quality and craft were phenomenal; however, they struggled to commercialize their work. With her online marketplace, Haati, Urvi wants to make their products available — globally and affordably. Each one, she believes, is a champion for slow-fashion, for a culture of conscious-consumption, and for the economic power of women in rural areas.