Our Story

Welcome to Brown Living, where our journey is about making sustainability a household norm.

I'm Chaitsi Ahuja, Founder & CEO, and this is my story.

The Spark of Change

Everyone has a story of how it all began, and here's ours. I feel lucky to be blessed with friends with curious minds—artists, travelers, business professionals, and designers who are all pure environmentalists at heart. I still remember an evening on my way home from work, I was on a phone call with a few of them discussing the global crisis of climate change and plastic pollution. We were all witnessing it every day but didn't know what to do about it or where to begin. It was clear that the problem was vast. India alone dumps 6 million tonnes of plastic every year, while more than 8 million children live in urban slums dangerously close to contaminated natural resources. Unfair labor wages, inadequate waste management, and heaps of human waste in landfills added to the devastation.

This conversation was a tipping point for me. It questioned my value system and everything I had done for both work and leisure. I knew I had to shake things up and get out of my comfort zone. I decided to choose entrepreneurship for a cause, and that cause was sustainability.

A Personal Journey

Ever since I was a child, I’ve been in awe of Mother Earth. Growing up, I spent a lot of time with plants in my home garden. I turned vegan at a young age, made my own soaps and body butters, and always tried to be more conscious with my consumption. The journey towards going plastic-free didn't happen overnight. Becoming a zero-waste and sustainable home is a process that takes time, but it's a challenge worth undertaking. All you need is a mindset to change the way you consume.

I started with small changes, like switching to a bamboo toothbrush or a shampoo bar. These baby steps helped me and my family start thinking about larger lifestyle changes. I became obsessed with understanding ingredients, methods, and packaging materials for products in my home and around me. I took courses to study the impact of production, consumption, and circular design for sustainability.

Before replacing all the plastic items in my house, I made sure to use them up first because sustainability is also about "using what you already have first." When it was finally time to buy new products, I replaced items like toothbrushes, soaps, face washes, shampoo bottles, and deodorants. These were the first steps towards bringing about a visible and tangible change in my own home.

The Birth of Brown Living

The concept of Brown Living was first conceived during my quest to find solutions to the plastic problem and the overconsumption of unsustainable products. As an eternal optimist, I began unlearning consumerism and fast fashion, going back a few decades to when things were better. I realized that the problem wasn't just the management of human waste but our consumption patterns themselves. This was my calling, and Brown Living evolved into a marketplace format.

I wanted to show millennials and Gen Z that there is a better way to consume and that making the switch is possible. This vision is supported by Brown Living's Directory of India's Truly Sustainable Brands, showcased on our platform.

Being an experiential marketer by virtue of my career and a nature lover by birth, it is fulfilling to combine my skillset with my curiosity on the subject, amplifying awareness of the issue at large. The silver lining of this whole experience is building a team of curators who now look at brands and products from the perspective of The Brown Lens. We are constantly on the lookout for sustainable ways to live and find everyday products to switch to in order to lead more sustainable lives.

Our Mission

At Brown Living, our sole aim is to help our customers transition into an earth-friendly lifestyle starting from their homes. We aspire to be the preferred destination for those who want to make informed choices and shop consciously, with the least damage to the environment. We believe in taking small steps that lead to significant changes.

Our mission is to make sustainability mainstream. We know that living a sustainable lifestyle can be challenging, but it doesn't have to be daunting. It's about making better and kinder choices, one step at a time. We are here to support you on this journey, providing products and solutions that make it easier for you to live sustainably.

Building a Community

Brown Living is not just a marketplace; it's a community of like-minded individuals who are passionate about sustainability. We believe in the power of collective action and the impact we can make together. Our platform is designed to be a resource for those who want to learn more about sustainable living, share their experiences, and support each other.

We are committed to transparency and honesty in everything we do. We carefully select the brands and products we showcase, ensuring they meet our strict criteria for sustainability. We believe in supporting ethical practices, fair labor, and environmentally friendly production methods.

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Join Us

We invite you to join us in this movement. Let's make sustainability a part of our everyday lives. Together, we can create a better world for ourselves and future generations. Start with small changes, like switching to eco-friendly products, and gradually make more significant lifestyle changes.

At Brown Living, we are here to help you every step of the way. Our team of curators is always on the lookout for the best sustainable products to help you live a more eco-friendly life. We believe in the power of informed choices and conscious consumption.

Thank you for being a part of our journey. Let's make a difference, one step at a time.

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Chaitsi Ahuja  
Founder, Chief Curator & CEO
Brown Living