Our story began in 2019 when we started selling sarees from home, hoping to share the beauty of South Asian culture with our new home in Canada.
We’re Taru and Manu, and this is where MER quietly began, just a few sarees, a spare room, and a simple wish to help people in Canada feel closer to South Asian culture.
As we kept going, we realised that simply selling clothes wasn’t enough. With textile waste growing globally, we felt a responsibility to do things differently. That’s when the idea of MER as a sustainability-first venture truly took root.
We poured our savings into building inventory for MER, handpicking each piece with care and intention. And then COVID hit. Overnight, everything came to a complete halt, and our plans were suddenly on pause too.
The world slowed down, but our purpose didn’t. In those two years, we stepped back, rethought everything, and rebuilt MER in our minds, this time as a rental-first, circular fashion platform instead of a traditional retail business.
From the basement of our home, MER’s rental journey officially began. Racks of sarees, lehengas, salwar suites, and sherwanis filled every corner, and with each booking we were one step closer to making traditional fashion more sustainable, one outfit at a time.
Those first rentals showed us something important: people didn’t want to spend thousands on outfits they’d only wear once. They wanted joy, nostalgia, and craftsmanship, without the waste. That simple shift from “buy” to “rent” crystallized MER’s true purpose.
What started as a few bookings turned into weekends full of fittings, laughter, colour swatches, and bridesmaids flipping through racks in our basement.
With almost no marketing, word of mouth took over. At the same time, we were still working full time jobs and raising our young son. It was exhausting, but every rental reaffirmed that MER was becoming:
- A sustainable alternative to fast fashion
- A way for newcomers to celebrate culture without overspending
- A service that honoured tradition while easing the planet’s burden
We realised we weren’t just renting outfits, we were quietly solving a problem our community had felt for years.
As demand grew, we took a deep breath and a bigger risk: opening our first storefront at Hullmark Centre in North York. It was designed as more than a shop, it was a space where cultural celebration, sustainability, and premium ethnic fashion could live together.
MER appeared on national TV for the first time. Watching our outfits on screen felt surreal. A moment of validation that sustainable South Asian fashion belonged in the Canadian spotlight.
By December 2024, we introduced Fusion Wear, a collection blending South Asian craftsmanship with contemporary Western silhouettes. This launch marked a meaningful step in making South Asian fashion more adaptable and inclusive.
By the end of 2024, messages started arriving from every corner of the country. To truly serve that demand, we launched Pan Canada Deliveries in January 2025. With thoughtfully designed packaging and a streamlined shipping process, MER began helping people across Canada celebrate the beauty of South Asian culture in a sustainable way.
Following the launch of our Pan Canada Deliveries, we had the opportunity to feature MER’s collection on The Social for their Diwali segment. Diwali is a festival that celebrates light, hope, and the triumph of good over evil.The feature highlighted how versatile and inclusive South Asian fashion can be, showcasing pieces that fit effortlessly into Diwali celebrations and every occasion beyond. It also allowed us to share our rental first, circular approach with a national audience, amplifying our mission and reaching customers seeking sustainable and stylish ethnic wear.