Artesan profile: Basha, Bangladesh
By Guest Blogger Robin Seyfert (Founder, Basha) Mila* had worked in the garments factory for 3 months without being paid when she turned in desperation to a woman offering to help. This woman instead sold her to a brothel. Farhana’s* husband left her alone with their son and large loans. She could just eke out […]
Insights into Ethical Fashion continued
Last Monday, I published a post on the growth of sustainable and ethical approaches within the fashion industry and I thought I’d follow up this week with an article I came across on the Ethical Fashion Initiative. The Initiative, which is a part of the International Trade Center, ‘partners leading designers with artisan producers […]
Recycled and Repurposed
Recycled and repurposed items are not only for those on a budget, looking to decorate one’s space with creative and inventive products, it is big business too. These stools made from discarded fans and scrap wire by Hong Kong based KaCaMa Design Lab are a perfect example of post consumer waste materials to create functional […]
Tips for exhibiting at Trade Shows!
While at the NY NOW show this past summer, I stumbled across a booth called Stitchwallah. I was immediately drawn into the booth for two reasons: the name, which seemed to pay homage to Mumbai’s Parsi community; and the beautiful Orrisi Ikat and Rajasthani block prints on display! Hilary Niederer, founder of Stitchwallah, was most […]
Upcoming Holiday Market, Silver Spring MD, USA: Shop for Unique Gifts and Celebrate Entrepreneurship!
Featured earlier this month in a post about the different Christmas and Holiday markets for artisan groups, Empowered Women International’s (EWI) Third Annual Artisan Gifts & Food Marketplace takes place on Sunday, November 15th, 2015. Where: Silver Spring Civic Building, Silver Spring, Maryland When: Sunday, November 15th, 2015 10:30am-5:00pm Admission: $5 Much more than just […]
Artesan Profile: Songa Designs, Rwanda
Based in Kigali, Rwanda, and San Diego, California, USA, Songa Designs works with artisan cooperatives throughout the country and creates jobs for skilled women to enable them to earn economic independence. The Artesan Gateway spoke with country Director Gilbert Kubwimana to learn more. AG: Tell us about Songa Designs. GK: We currently employ close to […]
Artesan profile: Higher Ground Crafts, Nepal
Higher Ground Crafts (HGC), a part of Higher Ground Nepal, is a social enterprise that was formed in 2008. Established to provide skills, training and a source of income for low income women, Higher Ground employs single mothers, orphans and widows including several from the sex-tourism industry. The Artesan Gateway recently caught up with Oliin […]
‘Tis the Season!
Yes, you read correctly and no, it isn’t too early to be thinking about Christmas and the Holidays – at least, not if you want to tap into the retail industry! Christmas and Holiday shopping in the West is typically the most profitable season for the retail business, and whether or not the excessive consumerism […]
Amazon launches new Handmade Crafts site!
On Thursday, 8 October 2015, Amazon launched a new department – Handmade at Amazon. I was pleasantly surprised to see this when I logged onto Amazon earlier this week and poked around the department to see if I could learn more. Handmade crafts have been making a comeback over the last few years, with sites […]