Artisan Skill: Wool, cashmere and silk hand-weaving

Employees: 30

A social enterprise with a mission to support its community economically and preserve the ancient Nepalise practice of hand-spinning.

THE INITIATIVE

We met Gabriella and her all-woman workforce after a long search for a partner who shared our values and who could create beautiful and high quality scarves. Specialist training programmes teach women to spin high quality fibres - cashmere, merino, silk and linen - using traditional techniques and hand-looms. Developing this artisan skill provides women with the opportunity to earn a higher wage than they would otherwise receive for being involved in manual works like construction or farming.

The raw materials are hand dyed with Swiss eco-friendly dyes, washed and hung on the terrace of the production facility. As is tradition, the craftswomen sit in circles as they spin and finely weave the material happily chatting while they work. Hand-spinning is a meticulous, time-consuming process and women who have passed through the training, share their knowledge and teach newcomers. 

Before being employed in the cooperative, many of the women were involved in piecemeal and low-income work. Providing regular, sustainable and skilled work, builds their self-confidence, elevates their status and enables them to gain independence. 

ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES

Aside from its social mandate the cooperative is committed to using environmentally friendly practices across its production. The centre uses solar panels that generate hot water and electricity used in the preparation of fabrics. Outside, a waste water filtration system recycles water which is later used for irrigation. 

OUR CONNECTION

Beulah commissions the cooperative’s team of master weavers to create a number of our beautiful Beulah scarves. It is a joy to share these traditional crafts with you, though our collection. 

HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT

Shop the collection. Your purchase enables a vulnerable woman to earn a fair wage, support herself and gain economic independence, enabling her to break the cycle of exploitation and poverty.