Made by hand, Traded by Heart

During my 3 month mandate with Manushi, I learned a lot about the organization. One of them is learning about the handmade producers. The products are all eco-friendly in their design and production and this is to reduce any harm to the environment and the overall health of the producers. The producers use natural raw products such as hemp/allo, banana, bamboo, cotton, recycled silk and natural dyes.

All of the products are made by hand so each product will have a unique look depending on the producers. Each producers bring their unique taste and personality to their products which make it really special. For many years, these products have captured many buyers internationally, which Manushi is fortunate to partner up with 12 countries like Canada, France, South Korea, Australia, USA, Japan, Spain, Italy, Taiwan, UK, Germany and Netherlands.

These women and men work hard to earn a living in order to support their families. I don't think we put enough effort to think about the products we wear because we just normally purchase them online or the store. For months, I was carrying a backpack that I had no idea that it was handmade in Nepal. I was carrying around a product that these women worked so hard to make and I had no idea. It made me more appreciative because now I know the effort that went into making this backpack. I'm proud to be able to support and market a product that a producer made and hopefully can continue to support them. This volunteer experience has been an eye opener for me to be more conscious about the products I buy and the story behind it. I hope many people will have the opportunity to purchase products from these producers and who knows maybe it is at your local market.