"I believe that a minimalist lifestyle is at the core of sustainability, and needs to become the new norm in society."
Soumya Kalluri is a Mechanical Engineer with a Master’s in Commercial Vehicle Technology from Germany. Her journey into sustainability began while working with John Deere in Germany on Life Cycle Assessment, where she realised that nothing really goes away. The realities of fast fashion changed how she viewed consumption, inspiring her to build dwij with a vision to make upcycling a norm, not an exception.
She is a TEDx speaker, a mentor and a member at the advisory board of Entrepreneurship & Innovation Management at IIM Mumbai, her writings have widely appeared in leading newspapers and she has been speaker at various conferences.
Impact living: Rethinking Consumption in Urban Life
Small sustainable choices. Big collective change.
What began as a handful of mindful choices became a 9-year journey of living lighter and more intentionally, ultimately giving rise to dwij, a social enterprise that upcycles discarded denim into circular, zero-waste products.
The Origin and the meaning of dwij
Dwij” ( द्वि= Twice, ज = Born), a Mumbai-based social enterprise, means ‘second life’ in Sanskrit and has the vision to deliver an ethically made low waste upcycled product to every household.
We are a proud “upcycled in India” brand that believes in a people-centered and earth-centered approach. We rescue post-consumer jeans that would otherwise end up in a landfill or get incinerated, to make utility accessories such as bags, totes, handmade toys, handmade jewellery, home decor, etc.
In addition to this, we upcycle pre-consumer/post-industrial denim and recycled PET felt fabric too.
We choose each element carefully and maintain high hygiene standards to produce fresh-looking and long-lasting products.
We would like to be known for our quality and longevity of the products
Dwij's Philosophy
In a world drowning in excess, we're building a circular ecosystem where waste becomes wonder, where discarded becomes desired, and where every product we create contributes to a regenerative cycle rather than a destructive one. At dwij, post-consumer jeans and post-industrial denim waste become the foundation of our craft.
We honor the authentic character of naturally fadded texture that time and wear have already given our materials. No chemicals are used to create artificial washed effects.
True sustainability isn't just about what we make, it's about designing with intention for what happens when our products reach their natural end. Our design for disassembly philosophy means every stitch, every connection, every detail is chosen with recycling or upcycling in mind. When the time comes, materials can part ways cleanly, ready for their next chapter.
