Actress Amala Akkineni turned muse for eri silk designer Jyoti Reddy’s ethical fashion line ‘ereena’.

“I never imagined I would wear a silk sari as I practice Ahimsa. Many times people tried to convince me about Ahimsa silk, but when I followed the chain of production it always ended with genetically modified silk moths that could not fly. There was nothing Ahimsa about it.

“So when Jyoti approached me with ‘ereena’, I was sceptical. But because she is a friend, I listened and witnessed the miracle. Ereena is a commendable mission for both women empowerment and environmentally sustainable Ahimsa silk,” Amala said after the collection’s launch, read a statement.

What makes Reddy’s business ethical fashion is the fact that sustainable eri silk production attributes low carbon emissions, low water consumption, respect for silk worm and sustainability, the designer said.

Reddy works with 80 master weavers in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Assam, to bring to eri her innovative designs using traditional forms like ikat, jamdani, jacquard and natural dye block printing.

The designer launched the collection in Ahimsa silk — a more humane way to create silk — at her first flagship store here. The range includes must-haves for brides-to-be, apart from casual, work wear dresses and saris.