Since we have announced that we are waiting for the arrival of our new spring style Deppa Bag, we thought we would share a little history of the people behind our India Collection. MarketPlace is the network we work with who provides us with handbags from India.
MarketPlace is a cooperative that not only employs artisans, providing them with a much needed income, but they also help the artisans by providing important information about market trends, customer demographics and sales analysis. This offers support and increases the viability of each cooperative.
The cooperative offers the artisans the chance to work from their homes, since most are wives and mothers who have families to care for and support. Most of the women do not have sewing machine skills, thus they utilize their amazing embroidery skills, which is a trademark of the products the MarketPlace produces.
Each artisan is involved in the daily operations as well as the creating of products. This is why the message of MarketPlace is, “Dignity, Not Charity”, which is actually sewn on each piece of clothing that comes from this cooperative. MarketPlace provides a wonderful environment where women can thrive, grow and become successful in all areas of their lives – business, family, community and most of all personal development.
One of the ladies in the photo above says this, "When I lived in the village I didn't know anything, by MarketPlace brought out my hidden talent for doing beautiful embroidery. Only after I came to work here did I experience the freedom to earn and learn: to have access to money and the freedom to create good designs." ~ Seema, Udaan Mandal CooperativeView in India.
