Name: Ami Sata
Age: 28
Company name: Amouve
Designation: Founder
When did you start Amouve and Why?
Amouve started a little over a year back. My initial need to find the perfectly soft sheets I experienced at a hotel abroad, led me to something much deeper.
When I came back to India, I tried to find the same luxury, softness and quality but was left with no options. Upon researching, I figured the gory truth behind the textile industry. That normal cotton (also called conventional cotton) is choc-a-block with chemicals, right from the farm where it is sprayed with pesticides to processing in the factory with formaldehyde – a potential carcinogen, is one part. (Bet most of us sleep on what are known as 100% cotton sheets). That thread counts advertised at 600 and 1000 TC, mean nothing to signify the quality of the sheets is another. Single-Ply 300 TC sheets will feel much softer and luxurious than inflated multi-ply 600 TC threads.
Also, most brands focus on bed linen from a decor perspective rather than from the health and sleep perspective. I wanted to change this.
Consider the fact that you sleep 8 hours a day in direct contact with these chemical-laden sheets. What should be emphasized upon?
Thirdly, from a social/environmental/moral lens, the Indian cotton farmer has been mired in debt for years. The crux of this lies in Bt cotton. Use of organic cotton does away with the ill of buying GMO seeds and chemical fertilizers. Moreover, we source directly from farmer cooperatives thereby giving them a fair price.
Cumulatively, all these added up. Not to forget that all of us love a great night’s sleep. And Amouve is a facilitator to achieve that.
USP:
The first in the country in the organic bed and bath segment. We stand for conscious luxury, a sense of aesthetic and healthy bed and bath options whilst also directly benefiting farmers since we source organic cotton directly from farmer cooperatives.
Each product from Amouve is meticulously made, from extra-long staple organic cotton to the use of single-ply threads, thereby providing utmost softness.
What do you retail ? Please give us an overview and the whole list.
We retail 100% organic bed linen, duvets, comforters, pillow covers (both plain and quilted), pure linen cushion covers and now plush organic bath towels.
Materials used : Certified organic cotton for bed linen and towels and 100% pure linen for our cushion covers. We believe in using only natural, chemical-free fabrics. There’s not an ounce of plastic used anywhere, not even in the packaging or shipping.
Can you give us a brief description of your collection? Please do talk about your latest ones as well
Our collections are a mixture of Scandinavian style (minimal and elegant) and block prints inspired by travel. Shiraz is inspired by the domes in Iran, Angkor – inspired by the ruins in Siem Reap, Haminast from the Mughal Gardens of Kashmir to Moroccan Musings from the vibrance there.
Our pure linen cushion covers are rooted in hand screen techniques, ranging from Japanese motifs (ikigai) to ikat, from coastal vibes (river silt) to Scandinavian style.
The latest in our range are the proprietary low-twist weaved organic bath towels. They’re make fluffy-soft and highly absorbent. We also weave them to a generous height for maximum plushness. And they’re 45% bigger than normal bath towels so you can wrap yourself comfortably warm.
Tell us about your inspirations and what is it about your work that appeals most to people?
As a child, I would happily bask in the beauty of the outdoors. While I grew up, this had always remained with me sub-consciously. The choices that I made revolved around it, so Amouve in that sense was a ‘natural’ progression. (Pun intended).
As I traveled more, I fell deeper in love with cultures and places. Travel is a constant in my life and it inspires, intrigues and fascinates me. I often go back in time to ponder upon how a particular place or someone’s way of being filled me up. This finds its way in the collections.
Also, the journey people take to build a business inspires me. It is amazing to learn from the stories of various entrepreneurs and how they went on to create change. A business in my opinion should have the ability to impact lives for the better, apart from being commercial. If I have to name people who I hugely respect as entrepreneurs, it would be Jack Ma and Elon Musk. Their grit and their ability to implement daunting tasks, come what may, is something I value and take inspiration from.
What is it about my work that appeals most to people?
To my customers, the fact that the quality and finesse of the product and the moral ethos of the brand go hand-in-hand is inspirational. To some others who have read up the story, benefiting-the-farmer bit is fascinating. Yet to others the courage to start into an otherwise challenging category is intriguing.