Brands
Virgio earns PETA certification for ethical fashion
Mumbai – Virgio, the pioneering sustainable fashion brand, is proud to announce that it has officially received the PETA Approved Vegan certification. This significant milestone underscores Virgio’s unwavering commitment to ethical practices, animal welfare, and pro-planet fashion.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India is the best known animal rights organisation in the country with over 2 million members and supporters. Global PETA entities combined have more than 9 million members and supporters. Every year, billions of animals suffer and die for clothing and accessories. The fashion industry has long been criticised for its exploitation of animals, involving practices that are often hidden from the public eye. From the use of fur, leather, wool, and silk to testing products on animals, the industry has a substantial impact on animal welfare. Animals are subjected to cruelty and inhumane conditions to meet the demands of fashion consumers.
Virgio has been at the forefront of transforming the fashion industry by embracing sustainable & ethical fashion. Achieving PETA approval is a testament to Virgio’s mission. Virgio uses cruelty-free vegan materials such as natural fabrics, recycled fabrics, and other alternatives to traditional animal-derived products. This ensures that no animals are harmed in the creation of the collections.
“We are thrilled to be recognized by PETA for our commitment to cruelty-free and ethical fashion,” said Amar Nagaram, Co-founder and CEO of Virgio stated. “This certification aligns with our core values of ethics, transparency, innovation, and responsibility towards our planet and all its inhabitants. It is a significant step forward in our mission to create fashion that respects the environment and its inhabitants.”
Virgio’s PETA Approved Vegan status assures consumers that no animal-derived materials are used in the creation of its products. The certification process involved rigorous scrutiny of Virgio’s supply chain, materials, and manufacturing processes to ensure compliance with PETA’s stringent standards.
“PETA India is thrilled to have Virgio proudly declare its compassion for animals and respect for the environment by obtaining ‘PETA-Approved Vegan’ certification,” says PETA India Senior Corporate Affairs Assistant Priyanka Bhoj. “Consumers are increasingly rejecting fashion that involves animal suffering and death, and the harmful environmental impact of leather, wool, and other animal-derived materials is well-documented. By choosing vegan, Virgio is setting the standard in the industry and leading the way in ethical and sustainable fashion.”
“We believe in fashion that lasts longer, looks better, and does no harm,” Amar Nagaram added. “Our partnership with PETA strengthens our resolve to lead the industry towards a more humane and sustainable future.”
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
