The duo recently announced the launch of a new business venture, The Good Kloth Company, with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), uniforms and loungewear serving as the mainstay of this initiative. While many other fashion labels have diversified into a casuals line, and designers who have their own manufacturing units have pivoted into PPE and uniform production to keep things running during this crisis, The Good Kloth Company is a disruptor. What makes them unique is the use of a special antimicrobial coating, developed in Switzerland, on all fabrics. BioBloX, as this technology is known, integrates active ingredients that have been registered with the US Environment Protection Agency which are able to kill off viruses and bacteria. “When this pandemic started in March, we never thought we would still be dealing with it in July,” they admit. Around this time, as pandemic was confirmed, the designers heard about the Swiss company and their special coating.
A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that around 38,000 people died from the regular flu during 2018-2019 in America alone. During these trying times, fashion has been using its voice to salute essential workers, from the people who deliver online groceries to the and doctors who administer care—and these are the people Sachin and Babi hope will benefit from their new venture. “If you think about fashion and innovation, it has always been about enhancing how the day performs. Let us take lycra as an example, it allows for breathability.”
The manufacturing of The Good Kloth Company’s apparel and accessories will happen out of Vietnam, and the initiative will have both, a business to business division, and a consumer based division. From making uniforms for aviation and restaurant workers, to reusable scrubs, masks and headgear for medical workers, it will have a wide base. The casual wear will include clothes that you can lounge in all day and even a raincoat. “People do not feel safe right now to get on public transport and go to work, or anywhere else.” He hopes these clothes will help consumers feel more protected. However, Sachin is quick to add, “This is not a silver bullet to COVID-19”. With contemporary fashion price points, the designer duo known for their red carpet dresses want this to be an accessible line. It will take 60 days for the first collection to be ready.
Independent fashion labels are facing many challenges but they have the advantage of agility. “Small businesses are able to be nimble,” says Sachin. In four short months the duo have managed to not only launch a new company but also become a front runner in what may just be the defining factor of fashion in the next few years: protective clothing.
