In the heart of Rajasthan, amidst the vibrant colors and rich cultural heritage, Jaipur stands as a beacon of artistic prowess. One of the city's most cherished traditions is the intricate art of block printing, a craft that has been passed down through generations, weaving stories onto fabric and leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of textile artistry. In this blog post, we delve into the fascinating world of block printing in Jaipur, India, exploring its history, techniques, and the artisans who breathe life into this timeless craft. History of Block Printing in Jaipur The roots of bl ..read more

Sareetonin for Daan Utsav 2021 In October of this year, @Shakti.ism had the absolute pleasure of participating in a SAREETONIN campaign led by our friends at the amazing sari brand Six Yards Plus.⁠ ⁠ SAREETONIN was a donation drive coordinated by Six Yards Plus, started as part of Daan Utsav 2021. Six Yards Plus graciously called for donations and offered donors generous discounts on their products in exchange for pre-loved sarees.⁠ ⁠ The sarees that were generously donated went to either @Goonj for direct donation and further use, or to one of the artisan teams @ Shaktiism for upcycling ..read more

As a social enterprise, Shakti.ism is all about social impact, and we are particularly fond of other social enterprises in the business of women’s empowerment. By supporting other social businesses with a similar ethos to empower marginalised women, we aim to spread awareness about other brilliant social initiatives, and hopefully empower even more women! This month, I’m sharing a guest post by my brilliant friend Laura, founder of a wonderful social enterprise called Khushi Kantha, that aims to empower women from marginalised communities in Bangladesh. I am honoured to know so many incre ..read more

Menstrual matters and COVID-19 Running a social enterprise means that each day brings a different challenge. One task could involve calculating exchange rates in four different currencies. And then back to the original currency (one day last week). Other days, you might get to do administrative stuff, or play with ink and stamps (another day last week). One of the most notable things I’ve done over the past month is making two very large purchases of sanitary pads. Very large. About two weeks ago, I purchased a total of 6,840 sanitary pads. Do you know what 6,840 sanitary pads looks like? I’l ..read more

As a social enterprise, Shakti.ism is all about social impact, supporting small business and women’s empowerment. By supporting other social businesses with a similar ethos to empower marginalised women, we aim to spread awareness about other brilliant social initiatives, and hopefully empower even more women! This month, we’re lucky to have what I hope is the first of many guest posts by incredible change-makers that are tackling social problems with creative business solutions. First up is my inspiring friend Michelle, who is a co-founder of The Harvest Fund, a US-based nonprofit o ..read more

Hi there. How are you? I hope you’re managing to have a decent summer despite the current situation around the world. It has been an interesting few months for Shakti.ism. We’ve made some good progress, and our talented artisan teams in India and Bangladesh are starting to get back to (a new) normal. Select tote bags and sari pouches are reduced to make way for new stock! Limited items available. Get yours before they’re gone!   Product updates New handmade Kantha scarves/shawls are coming in September! Our recycled sari gift wrap is selling fast! It’s reusable, zero waste, and gorgeous ..read more

We did it! On 29th April 2020 we successfully raised £2,432 with 59 supporters in 28 days (an additional ~£600 was also raised offline) to train 10 tribal and disabled women to sew in Pondicherry, India. The total we needed to raise to fund the project in full was £5780, and while we didn’t reach 100%, we did incredibly well (particularly as fundraising during a global pandemic is not an ideal time to ask people to contribute funds!). Viji, one of the 10 trainees Although we didn’t hit the full goal, I’ve discussed the project plans with my partners from Sewing the Seeds and Samugam Trust, and ..read more

My Choices’ PeaceMaker Program If you’re reading this blog post, you’re probably aware that Shakti.ism is a not-for-profit social enterprise that empowers and employs women from marginalised communities in India (and beyond), especially those at risk of being affected by gender-based violence. By partnering with local grassroots NGOs, we can be more impactful and truly support and empower women and girls who are disadvantaged or at risk of being exploited or in dangerous situations. When I first learnt about My Choices Foundation in early 2019, I knew I wanted to get involved with them someho ..read more

I’ve long admired Basha’s beautiful one-of-a-kind kantha-stitched products, so I jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with them directly. I am delighted to announce the Basha Collection will be launching soon at Shakti.ism, particularly as our first collaboration to empower disadvantaged women outside of India. Basha is a social enterprise based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, that works to empower women who are at risk and those who have survived human trafficking. All about Basha Boutique In the Bengali language, basha means ‘house’ and asha means ‘hope’. Through dignified wor ..read more

How to tie sari (or other fabric) gift wrap Method 1 (square or rectangular items like books, DVDs, boxes). Place the item diagonally in the centre of the wrapping cloth. If the item is rectangular, then fold up the corners of the fabric on either side of the longest edges of the item. Ensure the fabric is pulled tightly and tie the two opposite corners together. Next, do the same with the remaining two corners and form a knot. Then retie the same two corners to form a knot. If the object being wrapped is square, then it doesn’t matter which opposite corners are tied together first, but ..read more