A collection of Khadi handwoven, made by 117 artisans from the villages of Gujarat, has been launched by US-based outdoor apparel retailer Patagonia. This was made possible with support from Nest– an advocate for the handcraft sector.
“Made with organic cotton and natural indigo dyes using traditional Indian handloom weaving techniques, we developed this special collection in partnership with the Nest Ethical Handcraft Program which promotes equitable working conditions and expands financial opportunities for artisans who work from home,” said Patagonia.
Patagonia is a founding brand of the Ethical Handcraft Program and ensures that artisans were working with partners who aligned with its goals of providing them with safe, equitable conditions and long-term support.
This initiative will help the artisans earn more as Nest says that in different cultural environments, home- or craft-based work is seen as ancillary labour. Some producers may think, ‘This is work that artisans are doing from their homes, so we’re going to give them some money. They’re not coming into work, so it’s additional income.’
Nest’s Ethical Handcraft Program is educating business owners on the fact that people have been working from home for centuries, and it is still within their basic economic and human rights to earn a fair wage for their work.
Rebecca van Bergen, Founder, Nest says, “The handworkers creating and producing from home–predominantly women–are not always educated on the protections they should be entitled to, whether it’s health and safety protections or signing wage records for piece-rate labour.”
