ECO-SUSTAINABLE FASHION- ‘MALAI’

Meet Zuzana Gombosova and Susmith CS, the revolutionary thinkers who changed the alternate leather industry by developing Malai, a biocomposite material made from entirely organic and sustainable bacterial cellulose, grown on agricultural waste sourced from the coconut industry in Southern India. Zuzana Gombosova, a material researcher and designer from Slovakia and a graduate of MA Material Futures at Central Saint Martins College of Arts & Design, and Susmith CS, a Kerala-based mechanical engineer and product designer who graduated from IISc Bangalore together developed Malai.

‘Malai’ directly refers to the creamy flesh of the coconut while the coconut water (a by-product from the harvesting of this flesh) sustains the bacteria as they produce the cellulose, which is then collected and refined until it becomes the finished material: Malai. It is a flexible, durable biocomposite material comparable to leather, but made with a very less impact to the environment by utilising waste coconut and producing vegan material. “We have created a leather-like, durable and bio-based material that is compostable and vegan”, says Zuzana.

Malai range of accessories are designed from malai biocomposite and supporting materials like waxed canvas. The collection consists of very handy products like wallets, pouches, belts, suspenders, handbags, backpacks, headgear, clutches, laptop bags, bracelets and belt bags. These are teamed with stylish, loose, unisex jackets, working pants, shorts, T-shirts and mundus. Detailing for the accessories revolved around handcrafted straps and handles, while the clean simple bag shapes have shells made from malai and inners in waxed canvas. Braiding further adds to the design elements of the items, along with the use of blueprints as well as lacing that help raise the design quotient.

The range for apparel revolved around the relaxed resort or holiday wear, with the Mundus worn as sarongs, lungis or just wrap skirts in vibrant shades of indigo with prints and stripes. Beach robes, wrap trousers, white peplum blouses, lungi style skirts, floppy kaftan tunics, bias-cut flared midis and comfy shirts completed the fashion statement from “Malai”.For the garments, the sustainable mantra is used, as cyanotype printing with coconut leaves and plants from South India are the print template. Natural dyes and waxed canvas gave the Mundu fabrics a waterproof design texture. The addition of fabrics like organic cotton, banana jersey, hemp canvas and second-hand Mundu fabrics from South India gives the collection its natural character.