The concept behind WomenWeave
WomenWeave aims to connect women weavers with sustainable livelihoods. Many of the women have never woven before and WW therefore provides them with training and opportunities for progressive skills enhancement in order to maximise their livelihood opportunities. Where women have acted as “shadow weavers”, supplementing male family member’s work, WomenWeave creates opportunities for them to gain more control over and be recognised for their labour, as well as enhance their skill-set.
As well as production and training activities WomenWeave works to connect weavers with retailers, designers and customers across India and internationally. This is done by sustained marketing activities, participation in events including fashion weeks, craft melas (fairs), multi-designer brand events, Jaipur Literary festival, and other events held across India. WomenWeave also sustains good working relationships with high-end retailers including Good Earth, Anokhi and Williams and Sonoma.
WomenWeave creates a uniquely dynamic mix of undertaking training and technical innovation for weavers to produce cloth of highest quality; whilst at the same time linking them to receptive markets for the unique qualities and ethos behind handloom. By creating these linkages, WomenWeave is able to fulfil its mission and ethos of creating improved and sustainable livelihood opportunities for women weavers.