Meet The Makers
SHANGA
Shanga was founded in 2007 by local resident, Saskia Rechsteiner, who saw an opportunity to generate extra income for a local deaf lady she knew and together they started producing the necklaces to sell from Saskia's backyard. Demand for the necklace grew and soon the first Shanga Workshop was established. The Shanga range of products was expanded, utilising recycled and sustainable materials where possible, and the project was opened for people to come and meet the inspiring disabled staff and purchase products on site.
Shanga now employs more than 70 people with a wide range of disabilities to make creative products including weaving, glass blowing beading, paper making and metal work, using recycled materials wherever possible.
'Shanga' is the Swahili word for bead.
Shanga's Philosophy
Throughout Shanga’s colourful journey, the heart and message of Shanga has remained the same - Be kind and recycle.
Of utmost importance is providing a safe, consistent and loving environment for Tanzanians with disabilities who have so often faced terrible hardship in their lives. Of no less importance is making amazing products from discarded materials so that we can contribute positively to the Tanzanian environment while producing creative pieces that celebrate Tanzanian culture.
KARA WEAVES
Kara Weaves was founded by a wonderful mother/daughter duo, Indu Menon and Chitra Gopalakrishna in their home state of Kerala, south west India.
They support artisan members of co-operatives, in a first-of-its-kind attempt to bridge the gap between traditional weaving art form and a contemporary lifestyle in Kerala. Their focus is on multi-functional, practical and long lasting products, that preserving traditional techniques - the products are handmade on traditional wooden looms using ancient local fabrics.
To create several of the linens, artisans first prepare the yarn by sourcing, washing, dyeing, softening, bleaching, and drying the yarn and also applying any specific treatments as needed. Next are the pre-looming processes, which include spinning the yarn and setting up the loom. Then the skilled artisans start the weaving process. After that is the quality check, which happens in-house, and the stitching into products. The production process will vary based on how much fabric is required, customisations that may be involved, and techniques and designs, such as motifs and prints, that are used. Promoting the work helps to bring awareness and much-needed payment and income for the disappearing craft.
This all-women partnership is a WBE certified social enterprise that supports artisan weavers who are members of cooperatives to create fair-trade handwoven textiles in south-west India. They are certified members of the World Fair Trade Organisation.
I am really excited by this collaboration, having worked with Indu to customise some of their contemporary home textiles designs just for Savannah Willow!
BALI HARVEST
Bali Harvest first started out as an initiative to help recycling natural waste into various crafts for tableware and home decor. Now, they specialise in wooden and woven home & living goods.
They believe in living the good slow life and savouring the moments in today’s ever changing world. At Bali Harvest they are down-to-earth, simple bunch, who enjoy time with nature and the crafts they create to reflect this belief. They create products that inspire simplicity, warmth, and most importantly, a story in your home.
They pride themselves in traditional handmade processes handed down generations to generations. They use only sustainable and reclaimed wood sourced from areas marked for removal to help boost the country reforestation. The products are individually handcrafted by a local artisan team with passion and care.
SABAHAR
Sabahar was founded in 2004, by an ex-Oxfam employee, to celebrate Ethiopia’s rich weaving traditional through the creation of respectful and ethical work opportunities for marginalised people. Most workers have had a limited education with about half not completing primary school. Many of the workers have experienced great hardship living and working on the streets, doing temporary work as daily labourers on construction sites or working as house helps in unsafe situations.
Sabahar are now a recognised fair trade enterprise supporting 120 marginalised women and men to earn sustainable income, through the creation of eco-friendly fabrics entirely handmade from locally sourced fibres using environmentally friendly dyes. The gorgeous products include scarves and shawls, beach and hand towels, table linen, cushions, throws and bags.
One of the most effective ways Sabahar influences gender issues is by example, supporting capable women as role models. Sabahar has a management team of seven of whom four are women. The entire finance department is comprised of women. There are four Section Heads, two women and two men, and two Supervisors, one woman and one man. Departments staffed by women have a woman department supervisor. Respect for women and women’s empowerment is a key value of the company along with sustainability, innovation and caring for each other.
Dinkenesh:
“When I started working at Sabahar I did not feel confident to ask questions. It was the first time I had ever worked in a formal company. By working at Sabahar I have my freedom. I know what is expected from me and I know what to expect from the company. I have really found myself here. I have learned what I can do, it gives me strength. I also now understand that if I learn more, I can go far.”