Designer as well as proprietor of the brand Dashobhuja (14/115, Golf Club Road, 2^nd Floor, Kolkata- 700 033), Dalia B Mitra has come up with something new for the patrons. The Kolkata Mail correspondent Priyanka Dutta caught up with the talented designer to discuss her new endeavour. Excerpts..

So what is Dashobhuja’s newest offering for its patrons?

Dalia B Mitra- Dashobhuja’s newest offering is saris made from Liva. Liva is a natural fibre produced from wood pulp. This is a natural and renewable resource. The pulp is collected from those trees which have been grown for this purpose only. Since this requires huge investment and research, this has been done by Aditya Birla Group. It has been found that this process saves six to seven times more land in comparison to cotton. It also saves three to four times more water than usual. So it is a win-win situation.

What about the cutting down of trees?

Dalia B Mitra- Yes, that is a good question but you see the trees are grown specifically for this purpose. And moreover for one tree that is being cut down, eight more trees are planted. So we are not harming the environment in any way.

Can you tell us from which trees is this wood pulp extracted?

Dalia B MItra- Birch, Cedar, Eucalyptus and others are some of the trees from which this is extracted.

What about the pricing? Can the normal people afford it?

Dalia B Mitra- Absolutely!! It is highly affordable and the saris are light weight which makes it perfect for the summer season in India. When combined with silk or cotton, the prices of the saris range between Rs 1800 to Rs 3000. The texture is like that of silk and the light weight of the saris make it appealing for the teenagers who are beginning to wear the sari. It is also popular among the aged women as they cannot carry a heavy sari at this age.

The designs that I have done till now is confined to Bengal. However different kinds of designs can be done with this material.

What is next in line using Liva?

Dalia B Mitra- I plan to use Liva and mix it up with thick materials to make dress materials. That will help many male as well as female customers to make other dresses.

What colours are available for the saris made using Liva?

Dalia B Mitra- It is available in natural colour as well as in all other bright colours like pink, violet, red, orange and so on. So it can be worn during the festive season very easily.

Will these saris be available during the Pujas too?

Dalia B Mitra- Yes, absolutely!! We are making a new stock which will be available soon at Dashobhuja and its franchises. The saris using Liva with silk will be available before Ma Durga comes to Bengal.

There is a huge popularity of synthetic fibres due to its affordability. How do you think Liva will fare in this situation?

Dalia B Mitra- Yes, people tend to buy synthetic saris more because it is cheaper. But that has caused a huge problem for the weavers who use natural fabrics. With the use of Liva, the weavers will not lose their livelihood and the customers can also wear the saris as they are extremely light weight and very pocket friendly. And in a way one is contributing towards the environment.

We too hope that Liva gains much popularity among the common people. All the best Team Dashobhuja!!