Back to THE ROOTS
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It was during their tenure at their studio called IDesign that Nitesh and Diya Mohanty started questioning their role as creative individuals. Armed with an urge to tread on a meaningful path, they initiated The Root. The Root propagates social and environmental issues through various mediums & merchandise. “We strongly believe in ‘Medium is the Message’ and hope to extend our ideas through a wide range of creative formats. As we go ahead, we hope to connect with like-minded people and spread awareness about things that affect us & shape our lives,” says Nitesh Mohanty. Addressing issues like war, peace, freedom, politics, propaganda, human rights, inspiring icons, legends, mavericks, environment, conservation, heritage… Nitesh and Diya decided to started designing a series of graphics around the themes. “Our designs are an exciting culmination of hand art, vector illustrations & various typo explorations,” says Mohanty. The Root has designed a line of 100% Certified Organic Tees & Notebooks made from Elephant Poo paper. Adding more innovation to their ideas, the couple hopes to create Posters Printed on Tetrapack Recycled Paper and Canvas Bags created consciously with minimum carbon impact. Using organic cotton also has a reason behind it. Organic cotton is usually rain-fed, not irrigated, so it uses less water. Organic cotton is grown without using pesticides and insecticides. In stead, farmers use composted manures and cover-crops to replace synthetic fertilizers. Innovative weeding strategies are used instead of herbicides. Beneficial insects and trap-crops are used to control pests. Nature's frost and water inducement prepare plants for harvest, instead of using toxic defoliants. You have a self-satisfaction of wearing cotton without the stress of what might be happening to the environment. Apart from voicing out their social and environmental concerns through graphic prints and thought-provoking messages, they are also planning to provide economic support to self-help groups by getting merchandise developed through city based NGOs. The Root retails its products online through their Facebook page and also through the Art Shop of Gallery BMB & OLB (Our Little Bit) & Attic in Mumbai; People Tree & Yodakin in Delhi; and Either Or in Pune. Their products can also be bought from the eco-online initiative www.naturalmantra.com In fact, there is another way to contribute to a cause through The Root. The organisation shares a humble profit to support their cause – The Brain Tumour Foundation of India, So every time you buy a tee from The Root, your purchase is helps then bring a smile somewhere in the world. The Root had also associated with Mocha Treehuggers to host a series of events during The World Environment Day 2011. The event consisted of talks on issues of urban environment by eminent personalities from Mumbai such as nutritionist Kavita Mukhi, writer, Activist Darrel D’Monte and Urban Planner Rahul Srivastava from URBZ. During their recently hosted ‘Two Days on Tibet’, they Invited young Tibetan writer, poet & activist, Tenzin Tsundue to share his thoughts, hopes & concerns around his homeland. “We had a successful screening of the documentary film ‘The Sun Behind the Clouds’ for the students of TISS & ‘A Talk on Tibet’ a book reading session at Kitab Mahal, where Tsundue read out few poems form his book KORA,” explains a very proud Mohanty again. With so many ways to contribute along with getting the comfort of your favourite attire, there is no reason not to support an organization like The Root. Indeed, it is a privilege….
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