wool& Spotlight: Kanak Nautiyal

Kanak nautiyal is a small business owner and natural fiber aficionado.

Born and raised in India, Kanak is now living in the Netherlands, helping to connect rural Indian artisans to the rest of the world.

Kanak wore the Willow Swing Dress for her first wool& challenge.
Read more of the wool& Spotlight Series here.

What is your background?

Previously, I was a journalist (until 2006) with the world’s largest English daily newspaper — The Times of India. That was the year I turned 30 and moved out of India for the first time to live in Amsterdam, The Netherlands with my husband. I thought it would be a two-year stint, but 17 years later, I’m still here.

When I first landed, I looked for a writing job but it was impossible since I didn’t speak any Dutch. Eager to get back to work, I applied to a company that partnered with the University of Liverpool as an Enrollment Manager. I was attracted by the multi-cultural environment and before I knew it, I had spent 5 years managing global teams.

When my daughter Anouk was born in 2011, I struggled to balance work and motherhood. I decided to take a break and focus on my daughter. It was the best decision I made, and one that kick started my journey as a sustainable fashion entrepreneur. In 2013, during a holiday back home in India, I visited a handloom fair where I saw hundreds of artisans struggling to sell their products. Each piece they were selling was more beautiful than the other, and all of it handmade using natural materials. That’s when I realised that there is such immense skill involved, yet no one to value or market their products. Along with two other partners, I started to co-create with rural Indian artisans for global markets.

Where did you grow up?

I was born in Mumbai, an Indian city with a population of 20 million people; my family drove 850km and moved to Bangalore, when I was eight. Looking back, I can’t imagine growing up anywhere else. Bangalore in the 80s was a Garden City; a sleepy old town where life moved at its own pace. It’s where I went to college, made life-long friends and got married, then until I moved to Amsterdam in 2006. When I go back now, I hardly recognise the city anymore though. It’s over-crowded but it’s still ‘home’.

Where do you find inspiration?

The colours and textiles of India have always excited me and make me feel alive. Whether you walk into markets or through the tiny old town by-lanes, you feel joy everywhere. In India, tailors are in abundance, artisans sit outside their shops, creating intricate patterns and designs on textiles and ancient crafts continue to stay alive. From block-printing to embroidery, India has a rich textile heritage and for me, being Indian, I am grateful to be able to access that wealth of culture. Even the simple art of draping unstitched textiles (like the sari) can inspire you to do so much.

Tell us about your work.

I am the founder of Amsterdam-based JULAHAS, a slow fashion brand that offers handcrafted capes, kimonos and belts with skilled rural artisans from India. JULAHAS respects age-old crafting traditions and offers regular, fair employment to artisans.

My work in sustainable fashion began in 2013, when the terms ‘sustainability’ and made to order were still new. The first company which I co-founded closed in 2019. With my experience of connecting rural artisans to global markets, I founded JULAHAS in 2019, hoping to continue on my journey of making a meaningful impact on lives and help artisans not just survive, but thrive. I hope that with JULAHAS, I can bring joy everywhere, from the makers to the people who wear it.

Tell us about something memorable that happened in the last year.

When my sister turned 50 last year, she decided to celebrate with a week-long, action-packed holiday in Turkey. It involved a trip to 3 cities — Istanbul, Cappadocia, and Bodrum. I met my sister and her friends at the Istanbul airport, carrying only my 8kg carry-on luggage, made possible with wool&. I was pleasantly surprised that the girls were waiting for me with small carry-ons too! I thought, ‘okay, this is one sensible crew and I don’t need to worry about being under-dressed.’ On the other hand, they were shocked that this was all I had. And surprise, surprise, their 32kg suitcases had already been loaded into the van!

What sort of impact has wool / wool& had on your life?

I have a long relationship with wool, thanks to my work. I find it fascinating how this natural material can be turned into so many wonderful things — scarves, wraps, dresses, tops and tights — while still keeping its qualities of being durable, breathable, odour resistant, moisture wicking, and kind to the planet. Wool now comprises around 50% of my wardrobe, thanks to wool& and JULAHAS. They take up less space and are highly durable!

What is your favorite wool& product?

Tough choice! The Willow is my #1 because of the A-line fit, V-neck, and 3/4th sleeves. It’s a simple dress but one with personality. My #2 is Charlotte, my 100 day dress. Now that’s one hell of a sexy dress! It’s chic, flattering and makes me feel beautiful with zero effort. At #3 are the Summit Pocket Leggings. How I love those pockets. And my goodness, are they deep!

Have you done any of our challenges?

When I first saw a wool& ad, I was intrigued but not convinced about wearing the same dress for 100 days. In 2022, the ad appeared again in my feed and I thought, this could be something for me. My own personal relationship with fashion had evolved and “fewer, better” was a concept I had embraced. I took baby steps and started with the 30 day dress challenge (Willow in black). Willow was such an easy dress to wear daily that the challenge seemed effortless. I was on vacation at that time and it’s the first time I wore the same thing every day on holiday without actually feeling like I wasn’t dressing up (can’t say the same about the people around me 😊).
I then did the Top Challenge in my Essential Tank in black and the 7x7 Capsule Challenge, styling 7 items for a week. I have recently completed the 100 Day Dress Challenge (Charlotte in burgundy).
While wool& items certainly simplified daily dressing for me, the biggest change I made personally was traveling light. I have NEVER EVER carried only 8kg for week-long vacations. Not only do my dresses and tops fold up really small, they are also incredibly versatile and can be dressed up or down with few accessories. They can be air-dried and spot cleaned very quickly, making them ideal travel companions.

What is something unique about you?

I am not afraid to learn something new. I was 30 years old when I first learnt how to ride a bicycle. At 35, I ran a 16km race (“"Dam to Dam”) after training a year for it. At 39, I co-founded a company with no business knowledge and at 43 I went solo and started my company. I have always had a tremendous support system in the form of my family, who are my biggest fans and cheerleaders. They always make me feel that nothing is impossible.