If there’s one factor pet dad and mom know how you can do, it’s spoil their furry infants. From stacks of vibrant toys to lovely collars and harnesses, all of us need the perfect for our pets. However what we’d fail to contemplate is that these merchandise are sometimes constructed from dangerous plastics and nylon that would really hurt them.
‘IndieGood’ addresses this widespread concern by being a way of life model that cares for pets, folks, and the planet. “I consider in residing a life that respects the fundamental idea that every one residing issues should be thought-about,” Sneha Bagrecha, founding father of IndieGood, tells The Higher India.
With 12 years of expertise in designing way of life merchandise utilizing Indian artisanal handwork and pure supplies, Sneha now goals to broaden her influence. Her new objective is to have interaction in public outreach, educating folks on making higher decisions for his or her pets.
However the highway to founding this model didn’t come from a single “aha” second; as an alternative, it was a collective realisation that she and her college students had.
Compassion as a core enterprise philosophy
IndieGood, an Ahmedabad-based model, started with an thought impressed by a gaggle dialogue between Sneha and her college students. As she inspired the scholars to debate the way forward for sustainable industries and the place sustainability might make an actual influence, the thought of making eco-friendly, secure merchandise for pets was born.
“We made only a few merchandise as an experiment. After we confirmed them to the dad and mom, they had been utterly stunned,” she says. What began as a small challenge, experimenting with sustainable pet merchandise, rapidly gained consideration.
Conscious of this hole out there, she started to note a disturbing development within the pet care trade. “After I began pet merchandise in shops, every part was constructed from plastic, nylon, or polyfill; even in high-end pet shops! It shocked me that nobody was speaking about how the toys and different pet merchandise had been full of supplies that weren’t secure for animals and will even show to be deadly,” she remembers.
This realisation struck a private chord as properly after getting disturbing information from a pal whose cat ingested a chunk of a plastic toy. The toy ruptured her intestines, and the cat suffered tremendously. “Animals are curious they usually chew on issues with out us even realising. You may’t presumably monitor them 24/7, and when one thing like this occurs, you surprise how usually it goes unnoticed in properties the world over,” she shares.
The core perception of working for pets, planets and folks is the lens by which Sneha views her work as a designer and entrepreneur. “I consider in co-existence and ensuring that nobody or nothing is harmed needlessly — only for comfort,” she explains.
One of many merchandise of their vary consists of grain-based beds which can be orthopaedic and secure for pets. Additionally they supply harnesses, collars, toys, and different pet equipment — all designed to be plastic-free and made utilizing eco-friendly supplies like handloom cotton, jute, and pure fibres.
Constructing on her background: From handcrafts to sustainability
Earlier than launching IndieGood, Sneha’s skilled background was rooted in design, particularly in handcrafted merchandise. She had been working with artisans for years, creating handloom luggage, way of life equipment, and workplace necessities. Her objective was at all times to uplift artisans, a lot of whom got here from rural backgrounds, giving them higher financial alternatives and a platform to showcase their craft.
Jayesh Vaghela (42), who has been working with Sneha for the previous 5 years, specialises in handwork. He shares how Sneha and her group educated his whole household within the craft. Nonetheless, he notes that the rising choice for mass-produced, ready-to-wear merchandise has severely impacted artisans who rely on conventional craftsmanship for his or her livelihood.
“Folks usually assume our creations look too easy as a result of they aren’t as flashy as machine-made merchandise or these made with artificial supplies,” he explains.
Not only for Vaghela, that is the fact of numerous Indian craftsmen, who’ve a wealth of expertise, data, and ingenuity however battle to get work. In such cases, companies and types that target all points of manufacturing show to be a step in the appropriate route
Sneha’s travels throughout varied textile and rural craft clusters across the nation uncovered her to a wealth of expertise and artistry. She noticed firsthand the unbelievable potential of India’s artisan communities. Working with these artisans gave her a way of fulfilment — she knew that her work was empowering households, supporting rural economies, and selling sustainable, moral manufacturing.
“I’ve at all times believed that India’s artisans are among the many finest on this planet. The craft, the ability, the creativity — it’s all so unique and rooted in our tradition. You gained’t discover it wherever else. I imply, the place else on this planet will you get an Ajrak?” she says.
IndieGood’s dedication to animal welfare, sustainability, and artisan empowerment
As Sneha’s imaginative and prescient for IndieGood expands, so does her dedication to creating a higher influence. She has begun partnering with animal welfare organisations and is now collaborating with YODA (Youth Group in Protection of Animals) and Folks for Animals.
YODA supplies free medicine and checkups for avenue animals in Mumbai, and IndieGood determined to associate with them, donating a portion of their proceeds to help these avenue animals in want. “We don’t need to simply promote merchandise. We need to create a public outreach motion. Our goal is to teach folks concerning the significance of creating higher decisions for his or her pets, animals usually, and the planet,” reiterates Sneha.
They lately partnered with Folks for Animals (PFA), an organisation devoted to animal welfare since 1992. By way of this collaboration, Sneha goals to boost funds for his or her mission with PFA’s help.
Sneha has seen firsthand the optimistic influence of working with artisans, empowering them, and giving them alternatives to showcase their work. “By way of our work, we’re additionally serving to folks. The artisans who create our merchandise come from rural areas, and by supporting them, we’re offering them with a gentle earnings,” she says.
IndieGood has been awarded the Progressive Enterprise Award by Google and the Digital Girls Collective for its eco-friendly method to pet care. The award recognises the model’s dedication to sustainability and animal welfare.
“I hope that we turn out to be a mannequin for others to comply with — a model that proves you are able to do good for the planet, for animals, and for folks, all whereas creating high-quality, sustainable merchandise,” she shares.
Edited by Pranita Bhat, All Picture Courtesy of Sneha Bagrecha
