Sustainable Fabrics in Premium Streetwear Made in India: SixFourSix's Cotton Game

The fast fashion industry has had a devastating effect on the streetwear culture recently. For example, it's estimated that every year 92 million tons of textile waste from clothing and other textiles goes to landfills. Due to this extreme negative impact on the environment, there has been an increasing amount of sustainable materials being incorporated into today’s Streetwear culture, providing new, innovative opportunities for creators in India and abroad. SixFourSix is an Indian-based brand leading the way towards reinventing premium streetwear through their innovative use of sustainable fabrics combined with urban style. In addition to manufacturing high-end products such as t-shirts and hoodies entirely within India, they are building a complete lifestyle brand while remaining committed to producing products that are environmentally friendly.

The Green Wave in Indian Streetwear

Due to its young urban population has a demand for authentic products, India's streetwear market is rapidly growing and is projected to reach $3 billion by 2027. Sustainability is a key component of this growth. Many brands are utilizing India's ancient textile Industry, which primarily uses natural fibres such as cotton (India produces over 5 million tons of cotton each year), to limit their carbon footprint. This is just an example of how the industry is utilizing local resources in order to become more sustainable with the use of Organic Cotton, Hemp Blends and Recycled Synthetic materials, which have a much lower use of water (hemp requires approximately 50% less water than traditional cotton) and have been farmed without using toxic chemicals or pesticides.

Indian streetwear has something else that sets it apart from other countries' streetwear, that is its hyper-local mindset. Because the production of streetwear is occurring in close proximity to where it is created (the majority of the production occurs in Gujarat, which has large amounts of sun and rain) and that production has been brought closer to the artisans that create the product, it has allowed for a much lower carbon footprint when exporting the products globally. The definition of 'premium' is now no longer about importing expensive, quality materials, but about creating long-lasting, ethical clothing that ages gracefully rather than like fast food wrappers.

Enter SixFourSix: Streetwear with Soul

SixFourSix represents a departure from the typical hypebeast label, as they were built off the foundation of intention, comfort, and culture. The unisex label was created in India with the intention of showcasing the energy of city streets through limited drop collections that represent individuality. The collection consists of oversized silhouettes that feature bold graphics and the right fit and continue to whisper "sustainable" throughout its production. The brand produces everything from buttery soft T-shirts starting at ₹550 to rebel joggers, establishing that premium streetwear can be inclusive.

What sets SixFourSix apart is their commitment to sourcing 80% of the raw materials locally. Materials are sourced from organic farms in Gujarat, dyed in eco-friendly dyehouses in Tamil Nadu, and hand-finished by artisans in Jaipur. The company focuses on providing fair wages, zero-waste cutting, and utilizing natural indigo and madder root dyes. SixFourSix provides a story of responsibility for each and every piece produced, and each time an Eco Rebel jogger is sold a tree will be planted through the support of One Tree Planted, thus offsetting 5,000 metric tons of CO2 each year. It's not streetwear that just looks good; it's streetwear that does good!

Mastering the Cotton Game: Organic Threads for the Win

Cotton is without a doubt the king of all streetwear fabrics due to its breathability, flexibility, and versatility. However, when you compare cotton to conventional cotton where 2,700 litres of water has to be used to make just one T-shirt from conventional cotton; conventional cotton has excessive chemicals that can kill soil fertility.

SixFourSix uses only 100% certified organic cotton according to the Global Organic Textile Standard and produces their Urban Nomads oversized hoodies using 220 GSM organic cotton. You can purchase these oversized hoodies for approximately $89. SixFourSix guarantees you that their Urban Nomad oversized hoodies will last through a minimum of 50 washes before fading; therefore, they are more than just seasonal. These oversized hoodies will last long enough to be passed down to future generations.

All the organic cotton used by SixFourSix is sourced direct from regenerative farms in Gujarat, which do not use pest control products; therefore they promote the growth of soil micro-organisms and increase soil health. As such, you can purchase soft organic t-shirts like the VI4SIX Street Unisex Tee or Black Flawless which will not only feel great on the body, but also wick away sweat like professionals. Furthermore, these organic t-shirts are being worn as staples for oversized looks dominating both runways and sidewalks, which is evidence that sustainable fashion can be a hot item, just like an exclusive release.

Beyond Cotton: A Palette of Eco-Innovators

While cotton is the star at SixFourSix, their fabric playbook includes head-turning options like hemp blends in Eco Rebel joggers with a combination of recycled PET from plastic bottles to create a rugged feel that gets softer the more you wear it; they use Tencel (from sustainably harvested wood pulp) and bamboo viscose because it gives trousers the same drape as silk, but uses 50% less water in production than conventional viscose – these are not random choices, but rather designed to minimize the negative impact of textile manufacturing on the environment, while providing the premium feel of streetwear: structured yet fluid, bold yet breathable.

Through collaborations with independent artists, they offer custom prints on each piece which helps to create a canvas for personal expression. Innovation and tradition come together in this way to position SixFourSix as a leader in India's sustainable streetwear revival.

The Bigger Picture: Why It Matters

The role of cotton in SixFourSix goes beyond just being something to make clothes from. It is part of a larger trend or shift that is happening globally as people are looking for sustainable solutions to the issues facing the planet today. By providing these materials locally and with a low-impact on the environment, SixFourSix is supporting local farmers in India, saving traditional hand-loom ticket craftsmanship in India, and encouraging people of all ages to wear their values through their clothing. With so many fashion brands producing "throw-away", fast-moving fashion, the durable nature of the SixFourSix line of clothing, combined with the sustainable actions they encourage, will significantly reduce the waste associated with fast fashion. Thus, SixFourSix fits very well into the "6 R's of Sustainability"  (Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot) and sets a unique example of how brands in India are taking the lead in the movement toward ethical clothing and responsible consumption.