Behno bags: Setting the Standard for Slow-Fashion
Updated: Jan 26
What is the handbag brand that’s innovating the industry? Meet behno.
behno, which means “sisters” in Hindi, is an NYC-based handbag label whose mission is to redefine and bring sharp awareness to sustainability and ethics to fashion and to set a new standard for manufacturing for the garment trade that revolutionizes the way garment workers and artisans are treated, viewed, and employed. behno designs each collection to promote slow-fashion where consumers buy what they love for the years to come. The label also creates curated capsule RTW collections upon request and on a project basis to promote artisan and ethical techniques. behno is an innovator, launching initiatives like developing a textile that upcycles plastic bags and open-sourcing single-use plastic bags from New York City residents to make it.
Setting the Standard
behno works with Indian factories that incrementally implement The behno Standard at each one. The standard is broken down into six categories:
health
garment worker mobility
family planning
women’s rights
worker satisfaction & benefits
& eco-consciousness
Learn more about the behno Standard and their philosophies here.
OUR MISSION IS TO REDEFINE AND BRING SHARP AWARENESS TO SUSTAINABILITY AND ETHICS TO FASHION.
WE ARE SETTING A NEW STANDARD FOR MANUFACTURING FOR THE GLOBAL GARMENT TRADE THAT REVOLUTIONIZES THE WAY GARMENT WORKERS AND ARTISANS ARE TREATED, VIEWED AND EMPLOYED.
OUR AIM IS TO BECOME PART OF A GLOBAL MISSION THAT INSPIRES CHANGE, IMPROVES FACTORY CONDITIONS, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND SAFETY OF INDIVIDUALS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES BY WORKING WITH INTERNATIONAL FACTORIES THAT ADHERE TO RIGID COMPLIANCES.
OUR OBJECTS ARE MADE IN FACTORIES THAT INCREMENTALLY IMPLEMENT “THE BEHNO STANDARD,” A SET OF SIX GUIDING PRINCIPLES:
Meet behno’s Founder
Shivam Punjya is the founder and creative director of behno. Punjya founded the brand with the goal of addressing poverty and global health through traditional and non-traditional enterprise channels. Punjyaʼs professional experiences include luxury hospitality conglomerate InterContinental Hotels Group in London to GreatNonprofits.org, a tech-based nonprofit in the Silicon Valley. He oversees the brandʼs overall social and creative direction and positioning.
Hear Shivam Punyja speak in person, at IFD’s Ethical Fashion Festival Nov 5-7
Get your all-access pass for $25. $5 from every thicket goes to the United Nations Ethical Fashion Initiative. Ticket holders gain access to the event for 6 months.
