At BeOne, we're overjoyed to speak with small business owners bringing sustainability initiatives into their business strategy. Join us as we discuss small business ownership, environmental sustainability, local community responsibility, and the lessons learned.
Recently, we had the chance to speak to Mousumi Dutta, founder of Ancient Threads Accessories, a luxurious collection of handcrafted leather goods. Mousumi combines her background in the fashion industry with a passion for sensory and color therapy to deliver goods that radiate joy and wellness.
Although it's a new business venture for Mousumi, she's already taking big steps for ethical and sustainable practices—including focusing on ecological production methods and taking the 15% pledge.
Read on for our conversation.
Why did you start your own business? What was your motivation?
Mousumi: "I had worked as a Designer, Product Developer, and Global Branding Manager for a Ralph Lauren Home/Interiors licensee in NYC for 20 years. The pandemic came, the licensee got sold to a company in the UK, and like many others, I was unemployed.
I decided to apply my creative experience to designing accessories from an interior design perspective, where well-designed and colorful products bring a sense of happiness and transport you into a vacation mood.
I asked myself the question, 'If Money were no object, what would you do with your life now that you got a second chance to redesign your life?' I believe the pandemic lockdown and being let go from a job gave me the opportunity to create a business that addresses the needs of society in the post-Covid 19 era.
How is your business contributing to environmental sustainability?
"My products are handcrafted, combining block-printed fabric and artisan leather. The block-printed fabric is printed by hand using hand-carved wooden blocks in Jaipur, India. The fabric is air-dried in the sun and then combined with leather to make accessories. The leather is made from recycled byproducts of animal hides and hand-buffed and dyed in a drum machine. The only electricity used is to sew with a machine.
In a digital era where copies of everything are made fast, Ancient Threads Accessories honors the heritage of hand-craftsmanship and the lives of artisans threatened by digital copies. This tradition and technique has been around for hundreds of years, so something that has longevity like that is sustainable.
Contributing to Earth's resources versus taking away from the land to destroy makes anything sustainable. A product you can use without going 'out of style' is sustainable. Human lives are competing against AI for superhuman strength with 'pills and additives' - none of that is sustainable as humans will crash or have side effects from that life. A computer will crash from AI overload. Products crafted by hand will outlast all that which make it sustainable."
Why is environmental sustainability important to you?
"As humans on this planet—whether you live on land or sea—we are extensions of nature as our time on Earth is limited, just like trees or anything living. In order to stay connected with nature, drinking the pureness of Earth (such as clean water, breathing clean air, and seeing a clean sun versus a hazy sun) keeps us in optimal health.
To have Earth's natural resources, it's our job as custodians while we are alive to maintain that. Helping one another gives us a sense of purpose and, in turn, what we are doing to help maintain Earth's resources to help sustainability for the betterment of our lives. When the sea gets polluted, it affects marine life and the water you drink. When the air gets polluted, it affects your lungs. When you start living an 'unnatural life,' it affects your livelihood, illness happens, and the root cause of it goes back to the environment and lifestyle.
Illness goes back to living an unnatural life and being disconnected from nature. People go to a gym and wear a Fitbit, yet those doing yoga will get a low number on Fitbit as they are not pounding steps but have better agility due to yoga stretches. Nothing against a gym, but just an example that yoga has been around for years and is sustainable versus machines and equipment. That is the essence of environmental sustainability."
What other values are key to your business?
"1: Aesthetics as beautiful products enrich your life.
2: Well-designed products with a story behind them with the creative thought process.
3: Heritage - maintaining the lives of artisans who have become masters at their craft for generations.
What would it be if you could get 85% of the world to adopt a single behavior?
"Understand why you are buying something and how it is made."
Stay tuned for more great interviews with successful entrepreneurs like Mousumi, who proudly make sustainability a core part of their business model.
Website - www.ancient-threads.com
Say hi to the founder Mousumi