Paiwand

We Are Legacy has collaborated with Paiwand to bring visibility to its radically circular approach to textile production, extending this circularity further by embedding the story of material, process, and making directly into each piece through We Are Legacy Digital Identity Tags.

At the core of this collaboration is a shared belief that waste is not an endpoint, but a beginning. Paiwand transforms discarded textiles into entirely new handwoven fabrics, redefining waste as raw material and craft as a site of innovation. Through this integration, these processes become visible, traceable, and enduring.

“Sustainability was never just about recycling, but about respecting what already exists, our materials, our crafts, and the people who make them. That realisation took me back to India’s craft communities, where traditional weavers practiced a quiet, circular wisdom the world had forgotten.” says Asita Singhai, CEO and Founder of Paiwand.

Paiwand’s Re-rewoven Jacket embodies the studio’s philosophy of circularity. Constructed entirely from offcuts of its own handwoven textiles, the piece represents a second transformation of material, what the studio refers to as “double waste”.

Originally founded in response to fabric waste generated during cutting, Paiwand developed a system to upcycle discarded textiles into new fabrics. The Re-rewoven Jacket extends this logic further, taking the remaining fragments from that process and weaving them again into a new textile, and ultimately, a finished piece.

Paiwand’s process begins with waste collection, sourcing pre- and post-consumer textile waste from a wide network including ragpickers, export houses, surplus markets, designers, and boutiques, treating each as an equal contributor within the supply chain.

What defines the practice is not simply reuse, but transformation. Textile waste is cut into strips, reconstructed into yarn, and rewoven on handlooms to create entirely new fabrics. This repositions traditional weaving as a tool for material reinvention rather than preservation.

The Re-rewoven Jacket extends this system further. Scraps generated within Paiwand’s own production are reintroduced into the cycle and woven again, creating a denser textile suited for outerwear. Each stage, including sorting, cleaning, cutting, bobbin making, warping, weaving, and garment construction, is carried out manually, preserving both the integrity of the material and the visibility of the hand.

Paiwand was founded by Ashita as a response to the excess and inefficiencies of conventional textile systems. What began as a design experiment has evolved into a collaborative practice rooted in circularity, material respect, and craft.

The name “Paiwand,” meaning “to patch” or “to repair,” reflects the studio’s approach, linking waste generators, artisans, and designers into a shared ecosystem where production is participatory and co-created.

Paiwand operates on a closed-loop model, using textile waste as its primary raw material. This approach reduces reliance on new fibre production while diverting waste from landfill and incineration.

Production is entirely craft-based, relying on manual looms and low-impact processes that minimise energy use, water consumption, and chemical input.

Equally, the model is socially driven. Paiwand works with a network of artisans, including weavers, embroiderers, and support workers, creating meaningful employment, safe working environments, and opportunities for skill development. As a women-led initiative, it prioritises both environmental responsibility and social equity, positioning artisans as collaborators in innovation.

We Are Legacy, founded in Stockholm in 2024, is a digital platform that is redefining how handmade products are understood- using verified digital tags that connect products to makers, materials, and stories. Through a simple tap or scan, each product reveals key information about its origin, production context, and the people behind it.

This is not about digitising craft.

It is about ensuring its legacy - by restoring value to the people whose hands create it.