From Indian homes to your wardrobe; where do your recycled sari clothes come from?
When we think of India we do not only think of the pungent spices, wandering cows and scattered flowers that decorate the streets, what also comes to mind is the vast array of vibrant colours that flash by as women walk past in their intricately beautiful saris.
The journey of your piece starts when these women gather up saris in their homes and sell them to buyers who come to their doors. These buyers go round neighbourhoods gathering these radiant, unique fabrics and taking them to secondhand sari markets in some of India’s largest cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Calcutta and Delhi. Here, buyers will rummage through mounds of saris and pull out a multitude of fabrics, made from natural and manmade fibres, from silks to cottons and viscose to rayon. The assortment of textiles collected will then be taken to factories all over India.
Last year we visited the factory where our clothing is made, which is in the beautiful countryside of Rajasthan. It is successfully ran through the dedicated craftsmanship of 40 tailors, employing men and women of the area. The factory has a laid back atmosphere with some people quietly ironing, cutting or sat at their sewing machine whilst listening to music on their phones. The tailors who live faraway or mothers who are unable to get to the factory on a daily basis also have the option to work with the fabrics at home, allowing women a more equal opportunity of being financially independent.
When enough pieces have been made our suppliers bring them to their showroom where we sit on the floor drinking chai and picking our favourite designs. Whether it be a beautiful silk, exquisite pattern or striking colouring we pull it out and add it to the pile of beautiful pieces to bring back for you. Each garment having had a long and complex journey from the homes of India to your wardrobe.
With every sale of our sari clothing a donation will be given to the Railway Children, a charity that fights for the protection of children on the streets of India, East Africa and the UK. Many children run away or are forced to leave their homes where they have suffered poverty, abuse, violence and neglect. Many take to the streets, scared, alone and vulnerable to traffickers and abusers. The aim of the Railway Children is to intervene before these children are lost forever. With each purchase £5 will be given to the Railway Children, which is enough to feed a child 3 meals a day for a week in a shelter in India.
We are really happy to announce that, thanks to all of you who have bought a recycled sari, since 22nd February 2019 we have raised £1895 for the Railway Children.