Part 1: MY ORDER

1. How are your products sized?
Our ready to wear products usually have a loose fit. To know your exact size, check our size chart in the product description. For Accessories, measurements appear in their product description.

2. Do I need to create an account to place an order?
You can shop with us by choosing Guest rather than creating an account. If you do sign up with us you’ll be able to do more:
-Review past purchases
-Add sold out items and products you love to your Wish List
-Save your address so you can shop faster next time

3. Is my personal information kept private?
Yes! Your personal information is kept private and only used for our internal purposes. We won’t be sharing it with a third party. For more information, please read our Privacy Policy

4. I’m having problems placing my order. What can I do?
We’re sorry you’re facing issues with your order. Please read through our FAQ in case your issue can be solved here. If not, write to us at [email protected]. We’ll get back to you asap with a solution.

5. I didn’t receive a confirmation email or a tracking number after I placed my order.
Please email us at [email protected] and we’ll provide you with all the information confirming your purchase and delivery.

Part 2: RETURNS & REFUNDS

We replace faulty products with no questions asked. Just write to us with a photo and explanation.
If you change your mind and want to return the products, due to shipping costs, it’s tough on both sides to do so. Write to us with your reasons, and we’ll consider how we make this a win-win situation. Email: [email protected]

1. How long do refunds take?
Refunds usually take between 7-10 business days.

Part 3: PAYMENTS & SHIPPING

1. How can I pay?
We accept payment through Stripe and PayPal. All debit and credit card payments are accepted through secure checkout system.

2. Why am I not seeing the option to pay using a debit or credit card?
If you select Paypal you might  not see this option and  you’ll be prompted first to login with PayPal or create a new PayPal account. Once you’ve logged into PayPal you’ll be able to pay either by PayPal or choose to pay with your card. This may sound counter-intuitive but it’s either because of the country you’re in or you’ve exceeded your PayPal limit for card usage. We’re sorry it can’t be simpler and are looking at new ways of accepting payments in the future.

Now we accept payment via Stripe – you’ll see this option at checkout and you will not have to leave the checkout page and payments have now become hassle free!

3. Which currencies can I buy in?
Our product prices currently appear in Euro, US Dollars, GBP and INR based on your location.

4. What delivery options do I have?
We give you free Express Shipping and we take care of custom clearance above orders of 180 USD/ 150 Euros/ 125 GBP and all domestic shipments in INR.

In case of international orders, for purchase less than the above mentioned thresholds, you will pay delivery cost while placing the order. You’ll also be liable to pay  duties and taxes when your order reaches the country. DHL will get in touch with you with the exact amount you need to pay for custom clearance. As these changes with every product and varies from country to country, we are not in a position to give you the exact charges for VAT/ duty. We do try our best to estimate it and share with you over email once you place the order.

After purchase, you’ll get a mail from us with your approximate duty and tax costs, depending on where you live. The courier service (DHL) will send you an email with a payment link for duties and taxes when your product arrives at your country’s customs.

5. For delivery in India how much in shipping and taxes do I need to pay?
Delivery is free for all domestic orders.

6. For orders outside India how much shipping and taxes do I need to pay?
For orders outisde India we only collect taxes for orders going to EU countries and below value of Euro 150. In this case, the VAT added is explicitly mentioned at checkout and you also get a tax invoice.
For all the other countries, and EU countries with order value greater than Euro 150, we do not collect any duty/taxes. All order values are exclsive of all taxes and you will be liable to pay duty/tax for custom clearance in your country. This is a standard practice for all imports and the local courier will get in touch with you for payment of duty/taxes/handling charges for custom clearance. We cannot anticipate the amount that will be charged to you, as it varies for every country. However we do send a mail post your order conformation – detailing out the approx. percentage of these charges.

7. Can I trace my package?
Yes! We will share the courier details for you to track your package once we ship your order.

Part 4: ABOUT I WAS A SARI

1. What is your mission?
With I was a Sari, we are hoping to ignite a revolution. And more than anything, we are hoping to better the lives of many, rather than fill the pockets of a few. So we are a zero-dividend business. In other words, what we make, we invest right back into the business.
Inspired by the works of Bangladeshi Nobel Laureate and founder of Grameen Bank, Mohammad Yunus, we are dedicated to a “triple bottom line” built on the pillars of social, environmental, and financial impact.
Most of all, we hope more people will copy our business model and that our unique eco-ethical approach to up-cycling and improving lives, empower women worldwide and will send shock waves throughout the greater apparel sector.
“We see the opportunity to create an I was up-cycling movement,” says I was a Sari founder Stefano. “There is potential here for the revival of countless other iconic designs such as I was a Kimono, I was a pair of Levi’s…”
If we can easily turn pre-worn saris into a modern jet-setters uniform, why can’t this be applied to every facet of the clothing and accessories sector?

2. Who makes your products?
They’re handcrafted by women from extraordinary circumstances in Mumbai. We pair them up with design experts – our latest collection brought in designers from Gucci’s fabled Rome studio under the Gucci Changemakers program.

3. What kind of company are you? Are you a charity?
2nd Innings Handicrafts Pvt Ltd is the parent company that owns the I was a Sari brand. We’re an independent Mumbai-based for-profit company that is interested in growing like-minded brands that want to make the world a better place. Our company takes recycled materials, pre, and post-consumer deadstock to create vibrant and new products that we sell globally. But above all what really fuels our businesses are our artisans whose lives have been changed as a result of our unique business model and vision.

4. Where are you based?
We’re a Mumbai meets Milan label, based in downtown Mumbai, the cultural and commercial capital of India. We have a few different hubs around the city where our artisans work. If you’re in Mumbai, do drop in and visit our production studio in Wadala. See our contact page for details.
Our connection to Italy comes from our founder Stefano Funari, born and raised in Milan, our founding partners Fashion in Process at the Politecnico di Milano. We regularly work with Italian fashion designers and creatives on our new collections and campaigns.

5. Can I work for I was a Sari?
We’re excited that you want to join us in supporting earth- and people-friendly fashion. We usually shout out on social media when we’re looking for someone to join our team, so do follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Here are some specifics about the type of people we generally look for:
Interns – we do take interns for roles from events to social media.
Fashion Designers – we work with international freelance fashion designers to create new collections.
Creatives/Marketing – we’re always on the lookout for talented photographers, graphic designers, copywriters, bloggers, and videographers to work with us.
If you’ve got an idea of how you can work with us, drop us a proposal at [email protected] with your resume and portfolio.

6. Is there any other way I can help I was a Sari reach more people?
Absolutely! We collaborate with bloggers, influencers, and journalists who can connect us with the world. Write to us at [email protected] or DM us on our Instagram.
You can have a look at who has already written about us here.

7. I’d love to see your products before buying them. Do you sell through stores too?
Absolutely! Our products are sold through select retailers across the world. Find your nearest stockist here.

8. Can I wholesale your products?
Yes, we’d be happy to chat about the possibility! Please write to us at [email protected] with details of your business and location. You can also fill in the form here to get in touch.

Part 5: PRODUCTS & SUSTAINABILITY

1. What materials are your products made of? Can I wash them?
Since our products are all made from pre-loved saris, the exact fabric composition is unknown. Some of our products are hand embroidered and require extra care. We recommend looking after your I was a Sari by cold handwashing and line or flat drying.

2. How sustainable really are your products?
The most sustainable item is one that already exists. We source our pre-loved saris from local Mumbai markets, on their journey through the circular economy. If you didn’t wear them they might end up in landfills. If we’d used virgin fabric our carbon footprint and water usage would be off the charts.

3. What exactly is your partnership with Gucci?
Our main partner is the luxury fashion house Gucci. Through Gucci Equilibrium,  a platform to promote their sustainable and ethical goals, we’ve received artisan mentorship and access to Gucci’s exquisite offcuts. Our latest collection was designed in Gucci’s studio in Rome with their designers under the Gucci Changemaker’s program. Under the tutelage of the brand’s master embroiderers, our female artisans have learned to hand-embroider our products, traditionally a male-dominated skill in India. You can read more here.

4. What is up-cycling?
For I was a Sari, up-cycling means rebirth- where something is transformed into something even better. We take fabrics that already exists, in this case, an Indian sari, and turn it into something contemporary and easy to wear.
Up-cycling is different from recycling. Recycling takes materials and breaks them down so their base materials can be remade into a new product, often of lesser quality. Up-cycling uses the materials that are already there to improve the product, moving it up the value chain.
Up-cycling doesn’t use energy to break the materials down, meaning that it’s one of the most sustainable options around!

Haven’t found what you were looking for? Contact us and we will do our best to resolve your queries at the soonest possible!