Bandra Has A New Eco-Friendly Store

Green The Gap, the newest garage store to open in Bandra, has no connection with American casual wear chain The Gap but it sure is green. The store, located across popular pub Toto’s Garage, is run by Delhi-based NGO Swechha, which also has a Green The Gap outlet in the capital. Launched in 2008, Swechha works to raise awareness about environmental issues by recycling waste products to create fashion and home accessories such as bags, wallets, multi-purpose pouches, stationery, coasters, and magnets.

The Mumbai branch of Green The Gap is an attractive sunny-yellow store with a riot of colours on display. On closer inspection, you find that the pouches and coasters are made from packaging such as Tropicana Tetra Paks, Amul milk bags, and even rice sacks. Vegans will be pleased to find that in place of leather, Green The Gap uses discarded cycle tubes and tyres to make clutches for women, wallets for men, coin purses, and laptop bags that are lined with scraps of colourful printed fabric acquired from wholesale clothing factories and markets. You will also find conductor bags, sling bags, and crossbody purses made from printed fabrics and Rexine; organic cotton T-shirts by Mumbai-based design company The Root; and elephant dung stationery by Delhi-based brand Haathi Chaap.

The more quirky (though no less gift-worthy) wares include pen stands made from audio cassettes, a set of table tennis rackets made from elephant dung, and cotton-paper coasters printed with drawings of endangered animals. Though most of the stuff at Green The Gap seems like guilty pleasures—do you really need that block-coloured elephant dung notepaper packaged like toilet roll?—you’ll feel better knowing that most of the sales proceeds are used to fund Swechha’s environmental campaigns, and to pay the salaries of the underprivileged tailors and craftsmen employed by the company.

Prices start at Rs40 for a bookmark, Rs350 for a wallet and Rs500 for a clutch.

Green The Gap

LocationJewel Milan Apartments
Ground Floor
Opposite Toto's Garage
Pali Naka
Bandra (West)

HoursMonday to Saturday, 11am to 10pm. Sunday closed

Websitewww.greenthegap.com