Innovation

Founded in 2017 by Udit Sood and Nikita Barmecha, their innovation is in their commitment to making sustainable mainstream by offering fashion alternatives that balance style, affordability, and environmental responsibility. EcoRight produces high-quality bags including tote bags, travel pouches, and handbags, using recycled cotton and Juton (a blend of jute and cotton) to ensure that fashion trends do not compromise the planet’s health. Its commitment to sustainability is evident in its achievement of B Corp certification in July 2023. 

EcoRight integrates sustainability with contemporary design, ensuring consumers can make mindful purchases without compromising on style produced through conscious and ethical practices.

Udit Sood emphasizes that creating sustainable products doesn’t necessarily come at a significantly higher cost compared to non-sustainable ones. He explains, “By optimizing our designs, we ensure that sustainability aligns with consumers’ price expectations. For instance, while non-branded bags are priced at around ₹1,500 and international-branded ones at ₹2,000, we offer our bags between ₹1,700 and ₹1,800, demonstrating that sustainability can be both accessible and affordable.” This approach to affordability is deeply rooted in customer feedback. By actively listening to what customers dislike—whether it is functionality, design, or color—EcoRight continuously refines its offerings, showcasing the importance of evolving through consumer insights to deliver superior products.

EcoRight's raw material innovation is an ongoing journey of discovering new materials to enhance product value. Udit Sood explains, "We constantly research and explore suppliers to find unique raw materials." Their bags are made from organic cotton with a water-repellent finish, offering a premium feel, while the linings are crafted from recycled plastic bottles. As they continue to innovate, EcoRight focuses on incorporating more recycled fabrics like cotton and plastic bottles, reinforcing their commitment to sustainability.

Inspiration

Udit Sood’s journey to founding EcoRight wasn’t marked by a singular “pivotal moment.” Reflecting on this, he explains, “The idea of pivotal moments often feels manufactured. It’s usually a series of smaller events that collectively lead to something greater.” His tenure at HUL and Zomato, though fulfilling, sparked an inner desire to pursue something independently. As he recalls, “While working, I often felt that I might find greater happiness in building something of my own.” However, he was clear from the start that his goal was not just to start another business, but to have a higher purpose behind it.

For a year, Udit explored various business ideas and collaborated on multiple projects, but EcoRight emerged as the one that truly resonated with him. Reflecting on this, he shares, “I realized that EcoRight is what gave me the most happiness. I also felt it had the greatest potential to create a significant impact, both in terms of purpose and profit.” His determination to build a business that balances profitability with a positive environmental contribution became the cornerstone of EcoRight’s mission.

Overall impact

Udit emphasizes, "We prioritize making a great product for the customer, and then communicate our commitment to sustainability." This approach has positioned EcoRight as a brand that deeply resonates with its target audience, primarily women aged 18 to 34, particularly Gen Z and younger millennials seeking brands with a strong purpose. EcoRight’s reach extends across India, with 40% of its audience hailing from smaller towns and 35% from the southern region, showcasing its ability to bridge urban and semi-urban markets. The brand seamlessly blends sustainability with style and functionality, appealing to a diverse demographic.

The brand has successfully captured a global audience across 60 countries, delivering over 325,000 eco-friendly bags since its inception in 2017. By recycling over 310,000 plastic bottles and reducing 32 million plastic bags, EcoRight has provided tangible solutions to combat plastic waste and promote environmental sustainability. EcoRight demonstrates that businesses can thrive financially while contributing significantly to a sustainable future.

Business benefit

EcoRight operates on the belief that sustainability should be a universal practice embraced by all businesses. Many brands are now beginning to prioritize sustainability, with some actively implementing meaningful changes, marking a positive trend in the industry. In this way, the demand for sustainability is increasing overall, which is benefiting the company. EcoRight has leveraged this shift, positioning itself as a leader in the sustainable fashion space and attracting a growing base of environmentally-conscious consumers.

The company continuously launches new products and designs to keep its offerings fresh and appealing to customers. By introducing new variants like gifting and decorative bags, EcoRight maintains customer interest and expands its product range. Udit explains that this constant innovation is key to keeping customers engaged, as they may be drawn to a new design or product offering in the future. This strategy not only helps retain customers but also expands the company's reach to new audiences, ensuring steady growth and increasing revenue.

EcoRight has also made significant strides by expanding onto quick-commerce platforms like Swiggy and Blinkit, becoming one of the first B2C brands in its space to go live on these platforms. This new distribution channel has proven successful, with customers now enjoying the convenience of receiving their eco-friendly bags within minutes. This expansion has opened new avenues for customer engagement, enabling EcoRight to tap into the fast-growing quick-commerce market and broaden its customer base.

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Social and environmental benefit

EcoRight’s innovation benefits both society and the environment by integrating sustainability across every aspect of its operations. The company prioritizes eco-friendly practices not only in product design but throughout its entire supply chain. From the use of sustainable materials in production to the implementation of environmentally audited manufacturing facilities, EcoRight ensures minimal environmental impact. The company’s manufacturing facilities operate with 80% solar power and employ electric vehicles (EVs) for transportation between factories and warehouses, significantly reducing its carbon footprint. Additionally, rainwater harvesting systems are implemented at these facilities to conserve water resources. By focusing on sustainability from the ground up, EcoRight minimizes air and water pollution, ensuring that the factories also provide safe working environments for employees.

On the product side, EcoRight takes steps to ensure that all products are made with organic inks and dyes, which are less harmful to both people and the environment. Moreover, the company is committed to reducing its transportation-related carbon footprint by favoring sea shipments for international deliveries, as air transport is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. For local shipments, EcoRight uses road transport to reduce the environmental impact, ensuring products reach their destinations via the most sustainable routes possible.

Beyond environmental sustainability, EcoRight also prioritizes the well-being of its workforce. The company ensures that all its manufacturing facilities are ethically audited, providing workers with fair wages and safe working conditions. Regular health checkups and blood donation drives are part of EcoRight’s commitment to supporting its workforce. Furthermore, EcoRight actively engages in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities by supporting NGOs that focus on plastic cleanup and sustainable practices. By donating EcoRight bags for distribution in these initiatives, the company helps to raise awareness about the harmful effects of plastic and encourages people to make more sustainable choices.

Interview

Udit Sood, Founder

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