PURPOSE
PAIO was founded with a single agenda – to make versatile footwear using local design inspirations and craftsmanship in a sustainable manner.
Each PAIO pair is carefully handcrafted by some of the most experienced Indian craftsmen who have inherited the art of constructing the perfect pair. The design sensibilities are a combination of modern art & traditional cultures. Another strong focus at PAIO is to create cruelty-free fashion. PAIO is a PETA-approved Vegan footwear brand, committed to using only vegan alternatives to genuine leather & variety of fabrics such as cotton, hemp, and jute in its collections. Over the years, PAIO has garnered a loyal base of customers worldwide, who cherish ethics just as much as their love for eclectic fashion & design.
EXPLORE ALL
BRAND STORY
Kaizen the label was launched with two primary goals:
1. To bridge the gap among craft communities & urban cultures.
2. Use the so-called “waste” in fashion to create conscious fashion.
At the beginning the goal was to start an artisanal craft-based design label. But after the research, learnings and travelling during the initial years, it has now transformed into a slow fashion brand ticking multiple boxes of sustainability.
Artisanal crafts are still a strong part of the brand, but it is also environmentally-conscious.
We use underdog lesser known eco-textiles like eri silk and hemp and work and collaborate with only transparent businesses and professionals.
With every new collection, we have been improving our steps towards sustainability measures. Our next steps are to use natural dyes and improve on our upcycling measures and sustainable packaging.
SUPER HUMANS
Kaizen the label is founded by Namrata Gohain. She is a sustainable fashion designer supporting & promoting Indian heirloom crafts and an advocate for responsible consumption & production (SDG 12).
A design graduate from NIFT, Mumbai, in her final graduation project at college, she only used the scraps of other students’ fabric to create her own collection, titled “Rags to Riches”. That was the start of her sustainable fashion journey as she figured out how much waste is generated while making clothes.
After working in domestic retail brands & export houses for a few years after graduation, she also figured out another major problem in the fashion industry and that is the exploitation of artisans and disrespect towards heirloom crafts.
In 2015, she quit her job in Mumbai and travelled back to her hometown in Assam to start her own craft-based sustainable & low-waste label. With the brand, she aims to get Indian artisanal crafts and underdog sustainable natural textiles a better market and increasing its popularity among youth and bring dignity of labour to artisans of India.
Founding a sustainable label was never just a career highlight for her but is the reason for a very personal holistic journey & growth as a human.
Purpose
PAIO was founded with a single agenda – to make versatile footwear using local design inspirations and craftsmanship in a sustainable manner.
Each PAIO pair is carefully handcrafted by some of the most experienced Indian craftsmen who have inherited the art of constructing the perfect pair. The design sensibilities are a combination of modern art & traditional cultures. Another strong focus at PAIO is to create cruelty-free fashion. PAIO is a PETA-approved Vegan footwear brand, committed to using only vegan alternatives to genuine leather & variety of fabrics such as cotton, hemp, and jute in its collections. Over the years, PAIO has garnered a loyal base of customers worldwide, who cherish ethics just as much as their love for eclectic fashion & design.
Sustainability Simplified
Products
