KATHMANDU, NEPAL

A social enterprise with a mission to support its community economically and 

preserve the ancient Nepalise practice of hand-spinning.

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.  

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.