Sweet Root, Preserving Childhood By Upcycling Baby Clothes To Memory Quilts

Tucked away in Thippasandra in Bengaluru is a place where very precious memories are being sent. Inside the courier packages are items of clothing belonging to a loved one. Most of the packages contain baby clothes. Little ones grow so fast that they very rapidly cease to have use for these tiny items. But it can be hard for a parent to part with these sentimental items of clothing. So they are sent here - to Sweet Root. Here, the baby clothes are reused and reinvented. They become memory quilts.

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Sharing the idea behind memory quilts, Farah Ahmad, Founder of Sweet Root said,

The first time I thought about memory quilts was back in 2013 when I gave birth to a child and I started hoarding clothes day in and day out. I didn't know what to do with them. That is when I thought about doing something which creates an impact just not for me but for other parents and caregivers and that is how the idea emerged and Sweet Root was born.

Giving out more details about the idea of using baby clothes to make memory quilts, Farah said,

The whole ideology is that we cannot stop donating clothes. There is an underprivileged society that needs help from the class, which can afford it. There are also some things which we cannot just give away. So that giveaway is what we are talking about. That is what my venture revolves all around.

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The idea is to "upcycle" and "utilise", opined Farah and added,

It is about keeping it as a keepsake that your child can also utilise. Children outgrow clothes and we also tend to forget these small things. But, if you have a five by seven feet or a four by six feet quilt, you can show it to the child, you can use it as a mat, and even keep it as a memoir.

Most of the clothes that arrive here to be upcycled are baby clothes. But Farah and her team make other kinds of quilts too - bereavement quilts. The clients send items of clothing belonging to someone who has passed away. This is a growing demand, and for Farah, it began on a very personal note. She made one for her mother and that kicked off the journey of bereavement quilts.

My friends, who had lost their near and dear ones during COVID-19 realised that they can also get one. It is not about stereotypes or biased views, but it is something very personal. Some people want to part with those clothes and some do not want to part. We respect each and every thought process. But, people who send it to us, resonate that "okay, we have lost our loved one but there is something tactile and sensorial. There is something that can provide comfort to an entire family and just not an individual." Touch and feel are something that stays. It is a sensorial effect.

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Talking about the demand for both kinds of quilts, Farah said that the percentage gap between the two categories is reducing and soon, they will have equal demand for both types of quilts. She added,

People have realised that yes, we will donate but there is something my emotion, my heartache can be soothed and healed. So, yes, the demand for bereavement quilts is growing.

Emotions, in fact, as Farah mentions, are a central part of the whole process. Sharing the key days or milestones in a person's life, Farah said,

The first birthday; a high schooler who is moving out for education purposes - those nuances and those finer details of parents parting with the child are there. When it comes to bereavement quilts, there are people who are loaded with emotions, who are coming across them, resonating with them, it is about confiding in them that this is how it is but you are not alone, we are all part of it.

Farah strongly believes that the kind of work she does requires responsibility and accountability. You cannot take it as "just another project". She added,

It is a responsibility that you need to deliver and keep in mind what the customer wants and of course, each garment and each fabric is of equal importance to us.

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Sharing an anecdote, Farah said,

One of our customers was a father who was keen on narrating his story. He sent us 15 garments, that is all he had since his partner had custody of their child. He wanted to preserve the memories of his kid in the form of a quilt. He used to call us every single day to understand the progress of the project. For anyone else, it is just an article or fragments of fabric but clothes are more than that. It is about connections. It is about the first time you hold your newborn; the first hug with your partner. There are different emotions. 

Some people do not want the clothes to be cut up and so they are kept as they are. Others want particular items highlighted and kept intact. The Sweet Root design process is based on understanding the client's specific requirements and honouring the sentiments attached to each item of clothing.

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Farah explained,

The whole process starts with the thought process that everything we receive is precious. We use technology and ask customers what exactly they want. Once we have the details, we provide support in shipping the clothes. With a box of clothes comes their piece of heart. Once we receive the garments, we do inventory management which means, tagging each article so that they don't mix up. The client is informed at every step. Once they approve the design, we move to production, post-production and do a quality check before sending out the final product. 

This enterprise does of course keep precious clothes visible and transformed. But it also keeps them away from the landfill. Farah believes, upcycling and recycling are not just limited to plastic. Here, we are talking about garments. Recycling clothes require a huge amount of electricity and water. Hence, the way to go is upcycling. She added,

Upcycling is a smooth process that enables making a product of a higher quality. As far as managing textile waste is concerned, upcycling is a good option. 

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The cost for the quilts starts at around three and a half thousand rupees and is based on the work involved. But the work goes beyond being just a business for Farah. She said,

It means, even attending a call at midnight. It means more than work. It is no longer work because, at work, you have a timeline where you are at work and off work. For me, it is part of me now because when I interact with multiple people, I learn. It is about making me into a better person because there are different requirements and we need to respect them. We cannot generalise that all customers are the same. And, when you are responsible and accountable, it becomes part of you. It is not just part of your job.

The clothes of your loved ones need not be thrown away. And they need not be tucked away inside a box either. The warmth created by the memories associated with them can be turned into literal warmth - with a memory quilt.

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