Two Worlds, Two Companies, One Goal

My recent trip to India was one crazy, exciting, adventurous and blessed journey.

The progress I made in the first 36 hours with an overwhelming lack of sleep was incredible. On my first day in India, I met with the owner of a handloom weaving unit. I was extremely disappointed to find out that his practices did not meet my fair trade standards.

So on the second day, I was magically connected with a wonderful group of handloom weavers. A friend of mine and her father graciously drove me two hours outside of the main city, we then turned off the highway onto a dirt road and drove another hour. We passed by a funeral in the street, a heard of goats, cotton fields, rice paddies and of course cows.

We pulled up to a stone house that looked like it was from the Flintstones! Out front sat a little old lady tying threads. Yarns of fabric were drying in the sun. This was a true village.

I spent the day understanding the handloom process, discussing my designs and having lunch in the home of the master handloom weaver. I met his whole family, including the little old lady, which was his grandmother. The living room was stacked high with completed bedspreads, all neatly stacked and ready to go to market.

I may have surprised these weavers, as they had never had a foreigner visit their town, but we both felt blessed to have made a connection – one honest company working with another- from two different worlds, but one common goal.

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Stay tuned next week for pictures and stories about the handloom weaving process.