EST WST debuting at NY NOW

EST WST, co-founded by siblings Jhana and Arya Cayton, is set to debut their first full collection at NY NOW. The brand has been nominated for the Innovation Showcase, which is an exclusive invitation-only section for emerging brands. From August 19 to the 22, they will be on display at the Javits Center as part of NY NOW.

For the past four years, the brand has been researching textiles across the globe to develop sustainable materials with positive impact. Through direct partnerships with weavers in Nepal and India, they custom textiles woven from natural fibers. Textiles are selected for their versatility and applicability to the trends of contemporary fashion.

EST WST debuting their eco-friendly designs at NY NOW

EST WST joins NY NOW with a range of textiles developed straight from the hands of their partner weavers. Their debut collection features three textiles woven from natural fibers unique to South Asia. Their Himalayan Nettle grows exclusively in the mountains of Nepal and India. From harvest to textile, the fabric is manufactured completely by hand without electricity in villages across Nepal. Due to its artisanal processing and natural characteristics, it has been named "The World's Most Sustainable Textile" by TreeHugger.

Another selection includes their handwoven organic cotton denim, which is featured in three unique colors. The cotton is grown in Tamil Nadu, only miles from where the textile is woven. EST WST uses the same organic cotton yarn in a handwoven ikat that has been woven for hundreds of years in a small village in Andhra Pradesh. Each textile is paired with a gorgeous vegetable-tanned leather that develops a unique patina, characteristic only of low-impact eco-leather.

Each of their bags features a laptop sleeve and well thought out pockets, allowing it to serve as commuter bag or weekender.

Jhana and Arya have lived between Nepal and India for the past three years working side-by-side with their artisan partners. Jhana, EST WST's CEO, shares the process endured while developing their business model: "We knew our supply chain would require additional R&D to meet demand, but we didn't realize exactly what we were getting ourselves into nor how long it would take before we were ready to go to market. We needed to be very careful not to jump into manufacturing until our artisan partners were ready. We needed to be confident in our ability to meet demand and manage quality control expectations prior to sharing our project with the world."

photo: via PR Newswire