Mumbai Woman’s ‘Something Sustainable’ Eyes ₹1 Cr Revenue by Next FY

In the bustling city of Mumbai, amidst the ever-growing crowd of startups, a sustainable fashion brand, ‘Something Sustainable’ (SOS), is making waves by travelling the road less taken.

Founded by a first-generation woman entrepreneur - Prernaa Lohiya - SOS stands out not just for its business growth but for its conscious efforts to create eco-friendly, comfortable fashion that doesn’t come at the cost of the planet.

What started as a small operation has now set its eyes on reaching ₹1 crore in revenue by the next financial year.

But how did this young entrepreneur, starting with just ₹3 lakhs and a dream, carve her path in a highly competitive industry? The story is as inspiring as it is impressive.

The Genesis Of Something Sustainable:

For Prernaa Lohiya, a Pune-born, Mumbai-raised woman with a flair for fashion, her journey into the fashion world began like many others - through hard work, passion, and a desire for excellence. 

Armed with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Media from Mumbai University and a master’s in Fashion Brand Management from Italy’s Polimoda, Lohiya spent over a decade in the fashion industry. She worked with luxury brands across India, the UK, and Italy, living a career many would dream of.

However, the glamour faded when she took up a role as Marketing Manager for a fast-fashion brand in Mumbai. Here, she faced a stark contrast between her love for product-centric luxury fashion and the rapid churn of fast fashion.

The constant need to produce new collections, leading to massive fabric waste, began to weigh on her conscience. It was the catalyst for a change in her path.

"I was disillusioned by how much fast fashion was driven by sales rather than a love for the craft. The wastage was just overwhelming," Prernaa Lohiya, the founder & CEO of SOS, recalls in an exclusive interview with Startup Pedia.

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This dissatisfaction led her to leave her fast fashion career behind and embark on a year-long research journey into sustainable alternatives in fashion.

She discovered a glaring gap in the Indian market - affordable, sustainable fashion brands were nearly nonexistent, especially ones that could compete with the global standards of brands like Patagonia or Everlane.

The Challenges Of Starting A New Journey:

After extensive research, Prernaa founded Something Sustainable (SOS) with a simple yet ambitious vision: to create beautiful, eco-friendly clothing while minimising fabric waste. SOS reclaims residual fabric, uses sustainable materials like organic cotton and natural dyes, and works with fair-trade-certified vendors.

However, starting a sustainable fashion startup in India was not without challenges. Finding a factory that met her criteria of Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS) and fair-trade certification was no easy task.

After being met with indifference from several factories, a fair-trade factory in Kolkata finally agreed to work with her. Simultaneously, a small craft community in Mumbai, specialising in natural dyes, came on board to collaborate on repurposing flower and food waste.

"I was lucky to find partners who shared my vision, but it wasn’t easy. Initially, many people didn’t even respond to my queries," Prernaa shares with Startup Pedia.

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Prernaa used ₹3 lakhs of her own savings and some help from her parents to kickstart operations in January 2020. But just as SOS began to find its footing, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, causing production delays. Despite the setbacks, Prernaa remained determined, utilising the scary pandemic time to develop SOS’s website and learnt how to market the brand online.

“The pandemic was tough, but it gave me the chance to build everything from scratch - whether it was fixing website bugs or refining my designs,” Prernaa says with a proud smile.

Finally, in November 2020, SOS launched its first collection. The initial few months saw little revenue, but with perseverance, the brand slowly started to gain traction.

SOS’s Products And Production Process In Detail:

What makes Something Sustainable truly stand out in the crowded sustainable fashion landscape is its meticulous production process and commitment to world-class eco-friendly practices.

SOS reclaims unutilised fabric lying in factory warehouses, preventing it from going to waste. Each fabric undergoes rigorous inspection to ensure it meets sustainability guidelines, and the designs are carefully crafted to offer both style and quality.

For the brand’s natural-dyed collections, the process is even more unique. After receiving an order, artisans hand-stitch each piece, ensuring that every garment is truly one-of-a-kind.

"We don’t chase trends. Our designs are contemporary yet timeless and we focus on comfort and sustainability," Prernaa explains. "We only release two collections a year, plus a festive collection, and we make sure each style has a story."

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The dedication to thoughtful production has resulted in a growing product range, with over 20 styles in each collection. SOS’s products, which include organic cotton dresses, tops, skirts, tees, and more, are priced between ₹1,500 and ₹10,000, making sustainable fashion accessible to a larger audience.

Journey Till Now And The Road Ahead:

In the first year of its operations, SOS generated ₹10 lakhs in revenue, and the customer base grew to over 500 people. Prernaa credits much of this early success to her family, who supported her emotionally and financially.

But the road to success was not without its emotional moments. “I’ll never forget my first outside sale—a ₹7,000 purchase of our Cloudy Coco Dress. It was such a milestone,” Prernaa shares with a tint of nostalgia.

Today, SOS’s sales come from a mix of D2C, B2B platforms, and multi-brand stores, with direct sales and wholesale orders making up 60% of revenue. The brand also collaborates with sustainable fashion marketplaces like Brown Living, Flourish, etc, and it has plans to expand to e-commerce giants like Amazon and Myntra.

“Our goal is to double our revenue this financial year to ₹50 lakhs, and by next year, we aim to cross ₹1 crore. But more importantly, we want steady and ethical growth. We’re not just chasing numbers," Prernaa reveals. 

Internationally, SOS is already gaining attention, with orders from countries like Japan. The brand is looking to further tap into global markets while also expanding its footprint in India.

While further growth is on the horizon, Prernaa is equally focused on building a business model that scales ethically. She hopes to continue working with artisanal communities and maintain the brand’s commitment to using only unutilised fabric, even though this limits the ability to reproduce best-selling styles and collections.

"There are challenges, of course - sometimes we can’t repeat popular styles because that fabric is not available anymore. But we’re committed to our mission of sustainability," she shares with Startup Pedia.

The startup is also keen on solving operational issues, such as reducing production and delivery timelines, and is open to seeking funding to optimise these processes.

"Mentorship from industry veterans would be invaluable. We want to collaborate with investors who understand the importance of environmental sustainability, not just profit margins," Prernaa says with a firm voice.

In A Nutshell: 

With a small team of three full-time employees and a community of artisans, SOS is on track to become a nationally recognised brand in India’s growing sustainable fashion market.

As the Indian sustainable clothing market is projected to reach $9 billion by 2025, and with its unique positioning in the market, SOS is well-placed to enjoy a significant share of that growth.

Prernaa’s journey is a testament to what can be achieved with passion, perseverance, and a clear vision. As she looks towards the future, her focus remains on creating a brand that’s as kind to the planet as it is to its customers.

"We’re here to do good - for the earth, for our customers, and for the artisans we work with. That’s our mission," she concludes.

As Something Sustainable continues to grow, its impact on both the environment and the fashion industry will be one to watch. With plans to expand and a goal of ₹1 crore in revenue by next year, SOS and Prernaa are proving that ethical fashion can also be a thriving business in India and beyond.