our story
A handle on the future
Journey to Sarjaa
About The Founder
Drawn to the intricacies and nuances of fashion from the very beginning, Sarjaa’s founder Anjana Arjun’s passion for design is no secret. Following a successful stint in New York wherein she pursued a degree in Fashion Marketing from the Parsons School of Design, she worked with a few prestigious brands in the field of fashion and digital marketing. Anjana has now directed her focus towards bringing greener fashion solutions to the Indian subcontinent.
“Witnessing the change in global climate over time has helped me cultivate a green and eco-friendly perspective. I realised that even if we go step- by-step, the smallest things we do can make a big difference to save our planet. Combining this with my love for fashion design, I decided the time was ripe to create Sarjaa, a sustainable handbags brand. Through the brand, I am offering people a sustainable form of style, by giving them greener alternatives in their fashion choices. Sarjaa is my attempt to create something beautiful for people to carry with them, that also comes with an important responsibility in today’s times – sustainability, in a fresh form!”
Anjana Arjun - Founder & CEO
From Idea to Reality
The thought behind Sarjaa
After New York, Anjana decided to return home to friends and family in Chennai. She felt strongly about creating her own fashion brand, which would be driven by sustainability.
Along with her sister Aishwarya, Anjana brainstormed about the way she could create a brand that represented what she believed in. Being a handbag enthusiast, Aishwarya suggested that Anjana could launch a brand of handbags. The idea took off! Anjana thought that if plant-based leather could be used to make these sustainable handbags, it would help her with creating a sustainable and stylish brand. She spent the next few months researching pineapple leather, zero-waste living, ecofriendly fashion, and identifying sustainable raw materials for her fruit leather handbags. She even incorporated a greener way of living at home – with homegrown vegetables, composting, oils, and clean, whole foods for her family, including her dogs.
Meeting advisors and other professionals who eventually became her core team was the next step. She worked hard to put things in place: products, names, target audience, taglines for her brand, and the raw material which would go into making her vision of creating unique, environmentally-friendly plant-based leather handbags a reality.
Why SARJAA?
According to Ayurveda, Sarja is the name of a tree associated with Anjana’s celestial star, the Moola Nakshatra. The tree is said to give the grower a long and happy life. The name ‘Sarja’ is also significant as Anjana’s grandfather’s name is Sarja, which holds a deep meaning in their family tree. Sarjaa’s logo, when flipped horizontally, is a sign of infinity. This is tied to Anjana’s vision of sustainability and goes together with infinity, or the wish for a long life for our planet.
Birth of a Sustainable Fashion Revolution
In a world where depleting natural resources and systemic cruelty against animals are rampant, Sarjaa puts forth a highly sustainable premium handbag range where sustainability and style seamlessly intertwine.
Sarjaa has redefined luxury fashion through thoughtfully designed, impeccable craftsmanship with an eco-friendly twist.
We bring to you a remarkable, revolutionary alternative for the traditional animal-based leather: fruit and plant-based leather. Our innovation has made it possible to create a cruelty free and environment friendly luxury accessory while not compromising on quality and style..
The Ingenious Process
The production of the fruit-based leather is a completely organic process. The basic raw material is procured by upcycling, i.e., converting waste into a material of superior quality. The fruit and plant waste from juicing industries is converted into a strong fruit and plant-based leather, with zero use of toxic chemicals, PVC or other pollutants.
Other items in the production include apple leather, cactus leather, pineapple leather, organic cotton, hemp fabric, etc. which contribute to the circular economy, while maintaining highest standards of quality. Even Green metals, that are recyclable, are used in the chains and zips and the organic dyes used in the production has minimal water consumption. The end result is a splendid, supple leather superior to the conventional animal-based leather in every aspect.
Magic at the Hands of Sarjaa’s Artisans
Sarjaa has a team of 10+ personnel, dedicating their time and energy into producing the best of accessories. The fruit-based leather is entrusted in to the skilled hands of Master Artisans, who apply their researched knowledge of designs and materials. The materials are first cut into the patterns, fused with another layer of material if required, stitched with the inner lining, get edge colour work done to it, and then finally reversed to take its perfect shape! From intricate stitching to exquisite embellishments, each Sarjaa handbag is a handmade testament to the timeless beauty of sustainable fashion.
Towards a Sustainable Future
OUR VISION
Sarjaa has been founded with the sole aim of providing a sustainable alternative and a fruitful option to products that have traditionally polluted the planet. Sarjaa focuses on creating sustainable handbags made from using apples, pineapples, and cactuses, to name a few sources. The aim is to eventually expand our fruit and plant-based sources in due course of time. We do not believe in wasting food – in fact, through the creation of our vegan handbags, we upcycle waste material from the fruit juicing industries to reduce pollution.
At Sarjaa, we focus on being as nature-friendly as possible. We say no to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) which is a form of vegan leather, chemicals, phthalates, animal leather, and other toxic ingredients, and instead try and include as much natural goodness as we can. The fruit and plant-based leather we use for our vegan leather handbags is free from toxic chemicals, dyes, and PVC. Our production processes are largely driven by sustainable and no-waste policies which also focus on recycling to reduce waste wherever possible.
We don’t believe in mass production – our luxury vegan handbags are created in small batches, by a small team that believes in sustainability, ethics, and zero wastage. Our vegan leather bags are made with care and the utmost respect for nature. Each bag is unique since the raw materials that go into its creation are unique offerings of nature. A vivacious blend of colors, textures, and stylish yet sustainable looks is what sets our vegan bags apart.
We believe that the small steps we take today will be beneficial for our environment in the long run and will protect our scarce natural resources for future generations. Through Sarjaa, we invite our customers to partner with us on this journey to renew our planet’s resources and secure the future of all living beings.
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