THE TRUE cost
OF HANDMADE

Raw Materials ~ the Fabric Itself

Everything begins with cloth. Daughters of India uses the highest grade cotton attainable ~ cotton voile that is soft, breathable, and lightweight enough to drape beautifully while remaining durable enough to last for years. This is not the thin, loosely woven cotton used in mass production. It is fabric selected for how it feels against skin, how it moves with the body, and how it holds colour through repeated washing.

Beyond cotton, the brand uses LENZING ECOVERO viscose, a sustainably produced fibre made from certified renewable wood sources, carrying the EU Ecolabel. Organic cotton is being introduced progressively across the range. These materials cost more than the cheap synthetic blends and low-grade cottons used in fast fashion, because quality and environmental responsibility cost more than their absence.

The dyes, too, carry a cost. Daughters of India uses eco-friendly AZO-free dyes, which are more expensive than the cheaper synthetic dye alternatives commonly used in mass production. AZO dyes are restricted in many countries because certain formulations can break down into carcinogenic compounds. Choosing to avoid them entirely is a decision made for the health of the artisans who handle the dyes daily, the waterways that receive the runoff, and the customers who wear the finished garments.

Artisan Wages ~ Paying People Fairly

This is the single most significant difference between the cost structure of a handmade garment and a fast fashion one. At the Daughters of India facility, approximately 100 artisans and staff are employed continuously ~ not seasonally, not on zero-hours contracts, not as piece-rate workers who are paid per garment and must sew at punishing speed to earn a living.

Continuous employment means that artisans are paid whether or not there is a rush order to fulfil. It means they can plan their lives, support their families, and develop their skills without the anxiety of not knowing whether next month's work will materialise. It means that when production slows ~ as it naturally does between product releases ~ the workshop does not empty. People stay. Work continues. Skills deepen.

Avneet, the factory owner whose father started the business 38 years ago, has spoken about this directly. Fair wages are not a bonus or a marketing angle. They are the foundation upon which everything else is built. When artisans are paid well and treated with respect, the quality of their work reflects it. You can see it in the precision of every block impression, the evenness of every seam, the care taken with every finishing detail.

No Middlemen ~ Direct to You

Daughters of India sells directly to its customers. It does not wholesale to boutiques, department stores, or third-party retailers. This is a deliberate decision with real financial implications.

In conventional fashion, a brand might sell to a retailer at roughly half the retail price. The retailer then marks the garment up to cover their own costs ~ rent, staff, marketing, profit margin. This means that either the retail price must be very high to accommodate both margins, or the production cost must be very low. In practice, it is almost always production cost that gets squeezed.

By selling directly, Daughters of India can price its garments to cover the genuine cost of production ~ including fair wages and quality materials ~ without needing to accommodate a wholesale discount. The saving does not go to inflating brand margins. It goes to paying artisans properly and using materials honestly.