In 2020 we, Deepak Ramakrishna and Swayam Doshi, needed a change. Deepak worked in a large accounting firm and Swayam was interning at a sustainable startup in Europe. Having studied environmental sciences and witnessed ocean degradation while scuba diving convinced us that working for the environment was our calling.
We aspired to sustainability and wanted to give our planet a chance to breathe, so launched our sustainability startup and chose to name it Suspire, signalling our commitment to the cause.
Source: https://www.tumblr.com/
We originally envisioned Suspire as a vegan and sustainable apparel brand. The fashion industry was the 2nd-largest emitter of CO2, contributing to plastic pollution, water shortages, soil damage, poor labour practices, and more! Making a sustainable dent here could go a long way.
When we got down to business, though, we found it filled with inspiring brands already creating eco-friendly and ethical fashion. We were far from dispirited, though. Instead of competing with these brands, we saw an even better opportunity to partner with them and amplify their impact!
With this in mind, we launched the Suspire website in October 2021 as a hub for India’s best sustainable and vegan apparel brands. The demand from consumers was clear to see and, six months in, we could tell they wanted more than just ethical fashion in pursuit of a sustainable lifestyle. We responded by growing our catalogue to include cosmetics, food, houseware, and more.
This instinct forms the core of our philosophy at Suspire. We want to leave the planet and its people in better shape than we found it. This is an ambitious goal that affects everything that we all do; fulfilling it requires everyone’s effort. We want Suspire to become a community of sustainability, where ethical and vegan lifestyles are accessible and affordable. We know that everyone’s choices matter and want to make it easier for everyone to make the right choice.
This philosophy seeps into every aspect of Suspire’s work. We partner only with brands that aspire to the same goals. Their products need to be eco-friendly and cruelty-free, and we package them in biodegradable material.
But we also know that true sustainability requires doing right by the environment and the workers that make these products. So, our partner brands also ensure transparency throughout their supply chains, ensuring their workers work in good conditions for fair wages.
Source: https://saytrees.org/
We at Suspire know the size of the challenge we face, and want to maximise the impact of each positive choice our customers make. So we try to go above and beyond in whatever way we can. For every 3rd purchase a customer makes, we’ve partnered with SayTrees, who will plant a tree in Chickballapur, near Bangalore. For every 8th purchase, our partners Coastal Impact plant a coral tile along the coast of Goa. In less than a year, our customers and NGO partners have come together to plant 100 trees and 24 coral tiles!
Source: https://coastalimpact.in/
We firmly believe in our work and our mission, but it isn’t easy to get the public to. Often, the higher up-front prices of sustainable and vegan products deters potential customers. We understand this hesitance and want to help them overcome it. Our products and brands prioritise quality over quantity, which in the long-run actually works out cheaper for customers. It’s simple - a thousand rupee t-shirt that lasts 3-4 years will cost less overall than a 400 rupee alternative that needs to be replaced every year (our t-shirt will also be better for the environment and workers - win-win!).
We walk the talk as well, and use our products on a daily basis. Deepak’s go-to items are the Akiiko Workout Duffle, Crispies by The Healthy Binge, and Yellow Tent’s Vegan Lip Balms. Swayam, meanwhile, likes to dress in Zeruri’s Polo T-shirts, carries everything he needs in Scarters’ Terminal Backpack, and enjoys a cold glass of Slicc’s Assorted Vegan Oat Drinks.
At Suspire, we want to be a new-age venture trying to build a new India. To do this, we’ve also become part of the StartUp India Mission, hoping to work with the most ambitious and inspired entrepreneurs across the country to create a strong and sustainable future for our country.
At Suspire, we’re always looking to grow and, if our work and vision resonate with you, want you to be a part of our journey! If you’re a conscious consumer, you can head over to our catalogues and even sell some of your old clothes on Relove. If you’re a sustainable brand and want to grow your reach, start listing your products on our platform right away. And if you’re a motivated individual who wants to work with us to achieve our goals, come help Suspire become India’s sustainable empire!
