Our Craft Partners
Sewa Abodana
SEWA Abodana is a women-owned women-run handicraft social enterprise with 350 women artisans in Kadi, Kallol and Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It was set up in 1983 with a focus on block printing. Gradually over the years, they have built their expertise in various traditional techniques like patchwork, appliqué, badla and tie and dye and the artisans also stitch garments and products. The main objective of the enterprise is to ensure work and income security for its women artisan members. Over the years Abodana has worked with several big names producing garments and home decor products on order. They not only produce their own line of products but also do job work for other designers and take orders for customised wedding and party gifts.
South Asia Foundation
South Asia Foundation, set up in 1991 at Varanasi, is a private, non-political, non-governmental, non-profit development organization. The Foundation has regional chapters in all the South Asian Regions with its headquarters in New Delhi.
The Foundation works on developing a sustainable model of development at the grassroots level with capacity building, skill training and marketing linkages in the crafts sector with special emphasis on women and socially most challenging communities in many parts of India. The Foundation has been working relentlessly at the policy level to enhance the livelihood of the target beneficiaries. It further works on research and documentation, and dissemination of information in the field of arts and crafts in the region.
SAF GOA
The Foundation started its initiatives in Goa in 2008 especially to have regional connectivity with all the South Asian countries through the medium of cinema with the annual South Asian Film Festival that brought a large number of creative people from all the South Asian countries to Goa.
Furthermore, the Foundation has been providing training in skill development, skill up-gradation, capacity building, market linkages, credit facilitation, exposure visits, and cultural exchange programmes to a large number of Goan people with special emphasis on women, socially most challenged communities in Goa. It has trained more than 5000 people in Goa and organized them as registered artisans with the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, and the Government of India. Most of these artisans have been provided with skill training and credit facilities through structured financial institutions in Goa.
Creative Handicrafts
Empowering women remains Creative Handicrafts' core mission since inception. Operating with a social impact focus brings challenges, often seen at odds with competitive markets. Balancing top-tier product development, manufacturing, and effective marketing is vital, as profit loss isn't an option. Concurrently, women members strive to grasp "world-class" standards. Aligning their skills with Western fashion demands demands rigorous training.
The organization's success hinges on merging female members' capabilities with global fashion trends. Achieving this requires meticulous product engineering and market exploration, supported by fair trade allies in Europe and the US.
Looking back, Creative Handicrafts has surpassed goals, entering fashion's demanding world and becoming Fair Trade Guaranteed. Turnover now exceeds thirtyfold from a decade ago, a monumental achievement for a modest-sized organization.