A Slow Fashion Story: An Interview with Mohita Gujral
This week, we had the pleasure of speaking to Mohita Gujral, Creative Director of Sue Mue, about her green journey and how Sui had affected her business and her own daily life.
More than a year ago, Sui’s own journey began with Sue Mue’s help. Mahima Gujral, our Green Founder, brought the idea forward to her mother to create a fashion brand that put importance on sustainability that also encapsulated her love of nature and travel. It was then that Mohita got deeper insight into sustainability and the fashion industry.
In Mohita’s own words, this is her sustainable story.
Tell us more about yourself, your journey and what Sui means to you.
What does sustainable fashion mean to you? How has it affected Sui and Sue Mue's values?
Sustainable fashion is something Sue Mue had actually been unknowingly incorporating into our production system for many many years. It’s a more environmentally friendly way of production that we had always used through things such as hand-making in small quantities rather than mass producing using lots of heavy machinery. Until Sui came into being, we had not realised that that was what we were doing and we also didn’t know much about sustainability in general. Sui values made us realise that we at Sue Mue are sustainable to a large extent.
What is the most important lesson your sustainable fashion journey with Sui has taught you?
Most importantly, Sui has taught us how to be true to ourselves, our staff as well as our customers. We have learned to be more transparent with how we make our garments and show that we take steps to be sustainable.
Sui and Sue Mue incorporate the value of family in their ethos, tell us a little more about this and why you believe it to be so important?
Over the 50 years of having Sue Mue in my life, I learned from my parents to operate our business like a close knit family, it’s just how I have always known to do so. Though it has its positives and negatives, I have found that treating our team like family has helped to keep spirits high and our workspace positive. We are always willing to help each other and lean on each other in our work.
How has Sui changed your perspective on how to incorporate green values in your business?
In many ways Sui has taught Sue Mue as well as myself to care more about our environment and change little things in our daily lives to be more conscious. We have made changes around the office to make sure we are sustainable every day. We provide our team with reusable glass bottles instead of plastic ones and we have also changed our packaging in the store from cellophane bags to eco-friendly, biodegradable bags that are made from agrowaste and vegetable starch.
Also, Sui’s winter edit, ‘Flow, is all about appreciating little moments, tell us more about the pieces you're wearing today and how you manage to flow with your busy schedule?
Green Vibes shirt and trousers.
What do you hope for Sui's future?
Sui is a very strong brand, making beautiful clothes while also trying to do some good in the world. I wish for it to become a large global brand soon and spread its green message as far as it can.
What is a green pledge you try to live by everyday?
My daily pledge is to not use plastic bottles. Everyday, I carry my own reusable bottle from work to home to anywhere else so I can avoid buying single-use plastic.
What advice would you give others about how to live greener?
With global warming and weather changes happening due to human impact, we should all try and change our ways to make the environment better for future generations to survive. It can be as small as carrying around a reusable bottle like I do, we should all just be making an effort in whatever way we can.
For more interviews and stories about our journey, check out the rest of our Green Journal blog here and to continue supporting us in our sustainable journey, check out our new winter edit, ‘Flow’.