The Making Of India’s First Carbon-Neutral Covershoot

At Her Circle, we believe in placing sustainability at the heart of everything we do. Our June 2022 Sustainability Special cover, launched on World Environment Day, brings together three sustainability champs from different fields to discuss the way forward for businesses and our lifestyle as a whole. Go minimal for maximum impact was the core driving factor of this shoot, through which Her Circle has achieved India’s first carbon-neutral covershoot model. The end-to-end sustainable shoot with zero wastage is our attempt to drive the future of photoshoots with purpose.

The three changemakers featured on our digital cover believe in leading by example and stand true to their commitment to making the world a better place today and tomorrow through the three R’s of sustainability – Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. The Her Circle Digital Cover for June 2022, features three champions of sustainability. Kirti Poonia, the champion of circularity in fashion; Rameshwari Seth, a vegan, clean beauty entrepreneur, and Elsie Gabriel, an award-winning environmentalist. . From featuring sustainability champions Kirti Poonia, Rameshwari Seth & Elsie Gabriel, to the choice of location; use of sustainable fashion brands, organic and cruelty-free makeup with heatless hair styling tools, to catering and the mode of travel, each element was passed through the filters of sustainability.

• To keep travelling distances short, the shoot was held in Mumbai at a beautiful eco-friendly bungalow made out of brick and stone walls and energy-efficient design. From eco-friendly and biodegradable cutlery to reusable bottles and garbage segregation, the team ensured responsible choices were made at every step.

• Only certified cruelty-free, organic makeup products with no heating tools were used.

• All outfits were sourced from sustainable fashion brands

• The shoot took place early in the morning to ensure maximum utilization of natural lights. There were no artificial lights used by the photographer who is an expert in natural and organic photography.

• The catering was done by a home chef living within a one-kilometre radius and the menu was vegetarian, nutritious and light.

• The cover images have been kept raw and organic, without resorting to image-enhancing software and filters.

To ensure our net-zero impact and balance out even the most minimal carbon footprint we may have generated during the process of this covershoot, Her Circle has planted 100 trees through the tree plantation initiative by SankalpTaru.

Watch the making of India’s first carbon-neutral covershoot.

Cover Credits

CCO & Editor-in-Chief – Tanya Chaitanya

Featuring: Kirti Poonia, Rameshwari Seth & Elsie Gabriel

Photographer: Anai Bharucha

Art Director: Sameer More

Videographer: Harish Iyer

Stylist: Sonali Valecha

Assistant Stylist: Isha Modi

Makeup: Saumya Mahuvakar

Hair: Akanksha Singh

Clothes & Accessories

Kirti Poonia:

Outfit- The Right Cut

Rameshwari Seth

Outfit- Saphed

Earrings- Baka Jewelry

Elsie Gabriel:

Outfit- Studio Maikai

Earrings & Ring- Baka Jewelry

Co-ordination: Shreya Goswami, Karishma Sen, Sonali Valecha, Drishti Kapadia, Darsha Hiwrale, Iona Chatterjee, Sameer More, Harish Iyer

Brands Featured

The Right Cut, Okhai, Studio Maikai, Doodlage, The Summer House, Eka, Baka Jewelry, Noupelle, No Nasties, Saphed, Angana Nanavaty

Eco-Friendly Location: Avatar Bunglow, Mumbai