Mitun Chaudhuri Fashioning Greener Future With Maka Maka Lifestyle

In a world dominated by fast fashion, Indian-American ecopreneur Mitun Chaudhuri is rewriting the script. Through her initiative, Maka Maka Lifestyle, a fashion and home decor platform, Mitun leads a path toward responsible fashion with her timeless designs. Her venture challenges the norm of cheap, unethical production by blending aesthetics with values.

In an interview with Ecomilli, Mitun shares her entrepreneurial journey, challenges, and a glimpse behind ethical production. Can we genuinely transform junk into art? Join us as we uncover the answers and untwist the inspiring tale.

How did it all begin?

Raised in Kolkata, India, Mitun has always admired India's unique, gorgeous textiles and handcrafted products. Her grandmother and mother inspired her to develop her creative spirit ever since she was a child. "Both created magic with their needles and threads! When I was growing up, my mom sewed me amazing clothes that everyone in the neighborhood loved," she says.

A full scholarship from the Georgia Rotary Student Program to study at the University of Georgia took her to the US during the 1990s. During her trips to India, she used to bring unique handcrafted home textiles to Charleston. And there it all began.

"I would participate in small pop-ups and showcase the collection, which would sell out quickly. It indicated that I was choosing the right products for my target market in North America," recalls Mitun.

However, during a visit to Bhagalpur, India, her calling crystallized. "I was in awe of the intricate process of weaving peace silks like Tussar, Eri, and Muga. After meeting the weavers there, I knew that this was what I wanted to work with," she says.

The Ecopreneurship Journey and Challenges:

Mitun's ecopreneur journey began with a desire to showcase a fabric that was little known to the home textile industry then but was considered vegan and sustainable. Rajboori Luxury Linens, later rebranded as Maka Maka was launched in 2009 at the New York and Paris gift shows to share the rich craft heritage with the world.

"The vibrant colors of our pillows and quilts and the luxuriously comfortable feel of the peace silk were exciting and appealing to a discerning clientele," she says.

But fate had other plans. "I launched a high-end product line in the middle of a recession. It was a very challenging time for us. I was new to the industry with no background or connections."

Mitun didn't lose hope, though. To manage production logistics in India and pursue her dream of owning a store, she relocated to Calcutta (Kolkata). The patronage and support of the city's people helped her grow and flourish.

"Returning to Kolkata in 2012 after 20 years of living in North America was an exciting adventure! This allowed me to fulfill my dream of owning a concept store and café. Rajboori Luxury Linens was rebranded as Maka Maka (meaning friend in Hawaiian)."

"I traveled throughout India to connect and collaborate with many artisans and build a substantial network. Sharing the stories of the crafts and artisans helped customers connect more closely with the products in the store. They felt they were contributing to the revival of some dying crafts and upliftment of the artisan communities.”

“Running a business was rewarding and challenging there, no doubt,” she says. Maka Maka gained popularity due to its wide variety and diversity. "I brought a diverse selection of home décor items from various countries such as India, Mexico, Portugal, Guatemala, Italy, and more in one place. Our USP was offering global and local artisan-made and fair-trade home and fashion products," she expresses.

How do you keep it sustainable?

"I like blending practicality and minimalism in my design process. When designing a new product, I wear a buyer's hat and consider why someone in my target market would buy it. Will the product have a long shelf life? Why would someone buy my product vs. a competitor's? Buy less, but buy good is my motto," emphasized Mitun.

Making products suitable for versatility is also part of Maka Maka's design process. "Our ring bowls can be fruit, key, or candle holders. Our Kimonos are all-season designs. They can be used as colorful, exciting overlays in cooler months and comfortable, lightweight add-on layers for warmer seasons. Kimonos are available in inclusive size ranges so that we can handle the fast fashion issue of many dress sizes," she stated.

Junk to Art: Making New from Old

Maka Maka Lifestyle is all about minimalism and zero waste. "Repurposing and reimagining something that still has life left makes it a fascinating and enjoyable design process. It also keeps waste away from the environment," says Mitun.

However, she further clarifies, "Not everything can be salvaged, so we carefully choose the pieces, be they metal parts, vintage platters, or fabric offcuts to reimagine them as new products."

Before using any metal parts, they ensure they are non-toxic, adequately cleaned, and treated. "Also, we ensure that fabric offcuts used to design sustainable fashion accessories are in good condition and appropriate for retailing," she stressed.

"Once the apparel collection is completed, the offcuts are repurposed as accessories, such as scrunchies, headbands, tote bags, etc. We try to use the tiniest bit of fabric," she underscores.

What challenges do you face in sourcing and repurposing materials?

"It's always impossible to get the exact item we are looking for for the metal items since they are curated junk metal parts. If such a situation occurs, we must rethink the design or the material and find alternative solutions. Keeping the cost structure balanced while offering artisans fair trade pay can become challenging," she states.

Mitun believes that buyers must comprehend the intricacies of handmade and ethical production. "Unfortunately, the market does not always understand that a specific retail price is expected for buying handmade, sustainable, and fair trade products. Too many "cheap" handmade products create this confusion."

"As long as sustainable fashion remains inaccessible to the market because of the high price barrier, we can't achieve our goal of ridding the environment of fashion waste!"

"Not having enough material sometimes becomes challenging for our repurposed fabric offcut fashion accessories made in Georgia," she adds.

From a corporate to a social entrepreneur - what motivated the shift?

I was always a creative person. What I wanted to become was an architect! Life had other plans. However, during my corporate life, I found the structure too confining. My business school background and corporate experience have taught me the fundamentals of enterprise running. Social entrepreneurship allowed me to harmonize creativity and business acumen and make a difference in people's lives.

Achievements:

"Seeing our peace silk coverlets featured as one among 100 Green Designs by Time Style & Design was a great feeling, as it was right after we launched in 2009," she says.

"However, after many ups and downs and some grey hair, combined with years of experience running the business in three countries—Canada, India, and the USA—I'm excited about the scope of Maka Maka in Atlanta! All the lessons learned and the network established thus far will be reinvested in the new incarnation of our brand," she adds.

What Lies Ahead?

"I plan on offering more one-of-a-kind products in apparel and small-batch production of accessories—both in home décor designs and fashion. I want to promote "slow fashion" and make "sustainable and small-batch Production" mainstream," Mitun says.

At this point, Maka Maka Lifestyle is operating with a two-pronged offering—one is a boutique wholesale line for Museum Store Buyers and Boutique Retail Stores that support handmade and sustainable products. We've recently launched our e-commerce DTC channel through makamakahome.com," she adds.

"If you have a dream that supports you and others who join you in your path, try it. If you fail, it's not the end of the world as long as you can get up and run again. I don't like to live a life of regrets. Conscious and mindful choices in consumerism will lead to a sustainable future," she concludes.

Maka Maka Lifestyle now operates from Atlanta, GA, USA.