FROM THE SOIL, TO THE SOIL.

ORGANIC KALA COTTON	HERBAL DYED BOTANICAL SILK
HANDLOOM WOOL	COCONUT SHELL

When we zoom out, we realize natural materials exist symbiotically with their localities. It is therefore ethical to respect these relationships of locality.

 

AHMEDABAD	KUTCH
KASAR DEVI

 

PRODUCT DESIGN
Form follows function and function may only follow respect. We design versatility into our products as a sign of respect so that they may be functional in numerous ways, in a number of contexts, be dependable, and become more meaningful with age. 

NSE TRUVIAN SOFT PANTS	NSE TIP TOPS
NSE HANDLOOM SHAWLS & DUPATTAS	NSE LIMITED RELEASE

MANUFACTURING

To ensure the high-quality of our products, we partner with socially responsible manufacturers who then produce our designs carefully, in small batches.

Manufacturing of our products often begins at material source, such as in the case of Kasar Devi, Uttarakhand, where we work with lamb and merino wool to make shawls. The network of shepherds and ginners, spinners, dyers, and weavers process material t ogether, to manufacture a shawl. Similarly, local farmers, ginners, spinners, herbal-dyers, and weavers come together in rural Kutch, Gujarat to manufacture our organic Kala cotton textile.

About seven hours away from Kutch, the city of Ahmedabad is the last stop on our botanical silk journey which start off as closed-loop fiber produced in Lenzing, Austria, and Tokyo Japan. The fibers are then transformed into textile in Gujarat before finally being herbal-dyed in Ahmedabad.

In the end, our textiles travel to Gurgaon where they are carefully turned into versatile, useful products, ready for commerce. 

PACKAGING & SHIPPING

We courier our small-batch products from India to New York in corrugated packaging, recycled upon arrival. Our labels and tags are also minimally printed and biodegradable.

We operate online. Upon sale, we pack and ship products wrapped in acid-free tissue paper and compostable corrugated boxes using USPS domestically in the United States and couriers, including FedEx and DHL internationally. Finally, to make sure we close the loop at this stage, we balance our shipping & packaging emissions with carbon points. 

CO-CREATING CIRCULAR VALUE 
When you shop with us, you activate the value of our process. Then we redistribute that value to keep our circle going. 
We do this in two ways:

a) Profit Sharing: Our products are not made in isolation. We recognize the intellectual property utilized in the making of every NSE product belongs to the cumulative whole of our value chains. Thus, we share the profit generated from every sale to the very communities that enable that IP. In our first two years, we've donated up to 100% proceeds from the sale of individual products and 44% overall from gross profits of all sales to the following community initiatives.  Covid-19 food & relief packages for handloom & farming families in Kutch. The Bail Project NAACP Legal Defense Fund Wash-oe Hands Covid-19 Mutual Aid Relief Fund Feed Our Heroes & Rounds 4 Heroes Action Aid India COVID-19 Fund The Hans Foundation Covid-19 Fund 'Give Directly' New York City COVID-19 Fund Brooklyn Community Foundation COVID-19 Fund L.A. Emergency COVID-19 Crisis Fund The Lebanese Red Cross Adharshila NGO

b) The NSE Material Return Program: Although all our products are soil-responsible, toxin-free, and biodegradable, our customers can choose to return their products once they've finished using them. When they do, they get a 25% discount on their next order. In addition, we get to reuse, recycle, or donate that valuable material responsibly. As a result, together, we continue to engage with our mission and generate more value. If you own an NSE Product that you would like to return for a discount, write to us at customerservice@notsameequal.com