It’s Kristen here, diving straight into the whirlwind that is my life and the heart of Casa Danu. So, picture this: 236 lbs. of the most gorgeous Gigi Caftans, Kiki Kimonos, and Ginger Blouses & Pants have just landed at my place. It’s a beautiful mess, and I’m half-seriously debating whether my toddler really needs his entire closet. Between you and me, I’m thinking... probably not.

One of my all-time favorite business books (I know, nerd alert 🤓 ) is Let My People Go Surfing by Patagonia founder, Yvon Chouinard. In the book, Chouinard challenges the traditional notion of business success, advocating for a model where companies are responsible for the consequences of their actions and contribute positively to the world. WHAT A FREAKIN’ CONCEPT! I mean seriously, why isn’t this the damn status quo?

That is the type of company I aim to build, and I figured if that’s the case, I should do things right from the get-go, even if comes with uncharted territories and higher costs. Then came the big move idea: shifting my production to India. Honestly, it was scary. How could I, with a toddler on my hip and another job in the balance, ensure everything would be ethical and sustainable miles away in India?

Enter my lifesaver, Dawn Schuster from Masala Threads. While living in India, Dawn built her own sustainable and ethical womenswear brand, and in the process created an amazing network of like-minded partners. She now helps small, startup brands, like Casa Danu, navigate the crazy world of India production, connecting them with ethically and sustainably certified factories, mills, dye-houses, etc. Without her, I wouldn’t have dared to take this leap. So, major shoutout to Dawn!

With all that in mind, I want to share a bit more about where all those 236 lbs. of freaking fabulous caftans, kimonos & coordinated sets (along with some fun, surprise extras!) are made. I’ve always promised to be as transparent as possible with you, which means bringing you behind the scenes of how and where your garments are produced.

We’ve teamed up with a fantastic facility in Delhi, run by a great guy named Jaswinder Singh. He’s all about looking after his team and sticking to sustainable practices.

Here’s the lowdown:

• They’ve got 90 people working full-time, earning fair wages, with sane working hours.
• They’re rocking some serious credentials like BSCI and Sedex for ethical working conditions, and GOTS & OKEO-TEX for the eco-friendly side of things.

I think it's incredibly important to know where your clothes come from and who made them. Putting human faces to a product makes it real and so much more than just another item you purchased online. An entire team of amazing people works hard to meticulously craft each and every one of Casa Danu's garments, and I'd love to give you a peek into that process!