vaasla (breathe): carry the air quality story by Council on Energy, Environment and Water

In a world of 100, if every person were represented by a stitch, only one would breathe clean air.

Vaasla or ‘breathe’ in the Lambadi language, is a stole that sews this data into a story you can see, touch, and wear. Hand embroidered on handspun cotton by women artisans of the Lambadi tribe in India’s Tamil Nadu, the stole visualises the global reality of air quality. Out of the 100 stitches in the stole, 54 represent people breathing the poorest air — almost six or more times than what the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends. 45 breathe air with PM2.5 levels two to six times above WHO guidelines, and only one line of stitch represents those living with air that meets, or even comes close to, the guidelines of 5 µg/m3.

The science on clean air is clear. It improves both, health and economic outcomes. According to a World Bank report, the global cost of health damages associated with exposure to air pollution is estimated at $8.1 trillion, and by 2060, we could lose 3.8 billion working days annually if solutions are not implemented or known actions are not taken.

Vaasla is more than a textile. It is a call to action. Intended to be worn by ambassadors, researchers, and climate advocates alike, it is a visual tool that urges global action for clean, blue skies. In its artisans, it embodies the resilience of a tribe fighting to preserve their dying art. In its data, it embodies the lived reality of a world grappling with air pollution. And in itself, it embodies the threads that tie us together and the power of collective action.