Stefano Funari: I Was a Sari

A Story That Begins with Purpose

Some stories begin with an idea. Others begin with a purpose. For Stefano Funari, the founder of I Was a Sari, it was both. An Italian from Mumbai and a former business consultant, Stefano traded corporate boardrooms, quitting his job in Europe for the vibrant streets of India searching for meaning, where he saw the untapped potential of something both beautiful and overlooked—pre-loved sarees. In these flowing fabrics, the cultural fabric of India, he saw the great use of these textiles, and he saw lives that could be transformed along with it.

With no formal background in fashion, Stefano just had a passion for social purpose that grew into a vision for sustainable fashion and a big heart for social impact. I Was a Sari was born, repurposing discarded sarees into upcycled garments and accessories to empower local artisans, many of whom were women from underprivileged backgrounds. The brand kneads sustainability with social enterprise, giving these women jobs, dignity, skills, and independence.

In his TEDx Talk, Stefano speaks about the exploitative nature of the global fashion industry, its reckless consumption of resources, the waste it generates, and the unfair treatment of workers. Interestingly, the Italian entrepreneur observed how in India, everything gets reused, and he was particularly fascinated by the saree, an icon of Indian women. Though these long meters of gorgeous fabric are cherished, they also generate a lot of waste. That’s where the upcycling at I Was a Sari steps in to create something valuable and desirable while reducing waste.

I Was a Sari: Upcycling with Purpose, Empowering Women Artisans

Working with post-consumer waste, deadstock sarees, and leftover materials, they create beautiful upcycled garments and accessories, all handmade by underprivileged Indian women artisans, providing them with a steady income and financial independence.

The women at I Was a Sari are seen as a force for change and the biggest changemakers. While witnessing the slums, Stefano Funari realized that if we truly want to change things, it is the women in the family who need to be empowered with economic opportunities. By being socially inclusive and creating a livelihood for unskilled women from disadvantaged backgrounds, the brand teaches them lifelong craft skills such as sewing and embroidery, allowing them to achieve financial stability.

The world took notice of Stefano’s work, earning him prestigious recognition for his relentless dedication to ethical fashion.

They won the Circular Design Challenge Award at Lakmé Fashion Week (LFW) Summer Resort 2019, India's biggest sustainable fashion award, and the Responsible Disruptive Award at the Green Carpet Fashion Awards in Milan.

At the Green Carpet Fashion Awards - Italia 2019, Stefano received the award alongside his talented artisans, many of whom had never traveled before. It was a sweet and heartwarming moment, recognizing the efforts of these skilled artisans. They received the Responsible Disruption Award, rightfully so, for disrupting the pollutive fashion industry with eco-friendly, responsible upcycled fashion and fair treatment of workers, giving them the long-overdue respect they deserve.

Gucci x I Was a Sari

One of the biggest milestones in I Was a Sari’s journey came with a collaboration that cemented its place on the global stage, an exclusive partnership with Gucci Equilibrium since 2018. The Italian luxury fashion house’s Gucci Equilibrium initiative focuses on making sustainable changes for both the planet and people.

This was no ordinary collaboration, it was a celebration of craftsmanship, women’s empowerment, sustainability, and heritage, proving that fashion could be both high-end and high-impact. Gucci’s volunteer programs trained I Was a Sari’s artisans, elevating their skills and reaffirming the belief that luxury should be inclusive, not exclusive.

Today, I Was a Sari is a brand that represents the power of second chances, both for textiles and for people. And at the heart of it all is Stefano Funari, a man who didn’t just dream of change, he stitched it into reality.