We are building an organisation of the women, by the women, and for the women.
We are dedicated to empowering women through sustainable and ethical fashion practices. By focusing on education, career opportunities, and financial independence, we aim to foster freedom and gender equality, making sustainability more attainable. Saheli Women embraces the concept of earth democracy, striving to build an inclusive, diverse, and ecologically responsible community 'Of the women, by the women, for the women.
Our Values
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We uphold gender equality as a key pillar in sustainability, recognising that women play a crucial role in sustainable development. Women must be empowered in fashion supply chains and recognised as a key actors in the fashion system.
In the villages we operate in, women have restricted rights and restricted access to employment and opportunity, In many marriages women are restricted to the household, expected to fulfil their role as wives and mothers, caring for the family and performing domestic duties. Women play a crucial role in sustainable development, if they are provided with access to opportunities and employment.
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The preservation of cultural heritage is inherently important to the work we do as a social enterprise. We strive to preserve and embrace the culturally rich practices of artisanship and craft, such as the handloom, that have been passed down through generations.
These cultural practices create economic and sustainable livelihood opportunities that are often absent for many remote communities. Many of these craft practices are also at risk of decimation as younger generations are less inclined to carry them on. Through our ethical fashion supply chain we revive these craft practices and highlight their value and importance.
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Sustainability is a core value that is embedded in our everyday life and practices here in India. Our supply chain practices and how we operate as a slow fashion atelier are based on the principles of Earth Democracy - we support a fashion supply chain that values people and the planet over profit and growth. We are committed to a sustainable supply chain that does not generate waste and works in harmony with nature.
We avoid using synthetic fibres throughout our production, opting for natural, dead stock or recycled material. 50% of our total production as a slow fashion atelier consists of upcycling second hand saris and giving new life to used fabrics . We do not use plastic in any part of our production, opting for shell or coconut buttons instead. We do not compromise on our values, no matter what size the client is.
Throughout the entirety of our production we collect our fabric offcuts and re-use them for linings, packing bags, sampling, quilting and many other innovative ways.
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We are committed to an ethical fashion system that recognises the transformative potential of female empowerment. Our responsible and ethical fashion supply chain uplifts women through the provision of fair wages and a safe working environment, free from gender, religious and caste-based discrimination. We are a slow fashion value chain that shares the names and stories of the women who make the clothes, aiming to reconnect consumers to the value of clothing.
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Skills development is a very important part of how we operate as a social enterprise, as it has become our means of economically empowering women. We believe that supporting women’s skills development is a crucial step in women’s journey to financial freedom and empowerment. We offer skills development programmes in craft practices and slow fashion manufacturing, after which the women are given the freedom to choose what field they want to work in permanently.
We are committed to providing women with access to fair wages and dignified employment. Our artisans receive a fair wage that is at least 50% higher than the average income for similar work across India. The average working day is shorter, lasting around 6 to 7 hours to ensure that our women are able to fulfil their familial responsibilities either side of the working day.
Saheli means “female friend" in Hindi.
We build on local knowledge, skills, and abilities, create meaningful livelihood opportunities, preserve traditional crafts, produce quality garments, and advocate for the women who make your clothes. We proudly act as a bridge that connects rural Indian artisans with international fashion brands, co-creating and producing ethical and sustainable garments, accessories, and homewares.