Shakti.ism

Upcycled Sari Bags and Fair Trade Accessories. Every Purchase Empowers a Woman.

Shakti.ism is a not-for-profit social enterprise — a Community Interest Company — built around a very direct proposition: women in marginalised communities in India, Bangladesh and Nepal have extraordinary craft skills and no reliable income, and the gap between those two facts is something a business can close. Shakti.ism partners with existing grassroots NGOs already working with disadvantaged women — particularly those at risk of gender-based violence — and focuses on marketing the skills those women already have rather than imposing new ones. The name comes from Sanskrit: Shakti (शक्ति) means female divine energy, and also simply "power" in Hindi. Shakti.ism is women's power put into action. All profits are reinvested into the makers and their communities. None go elsewhere.

The products are one-of-a-kind by nature. Secondhand traditional Indian saris — fabrics that would otherwise be discarded — are upcycled into clutch bags, tote bags, shoulder bags, wristlet clutches and box pouches using kantha stitch, block printing and screen printing techniques that have been practised in these communities for generations. Block-printed crossbody phone bags. Quilted kantha market totes in vivid colour. Round sari shoulder bags. Sari gift bags with drawstring. Handwoven soft cotton scarves from Nepal. Each piece is different from the last because each piece is made from a different piece of fabric, by a different pair of hands, and arrives in 100% recyclable, biodegradable or compostable packaging. This is not sustainable fashion as a label. It is sustainable fashion as a supply chain, an economic model, and a genuine attempt to break a cycle of poverty one purchase at a time.

For independent brands chosen for their values, explore our Sustainable Brands directory and Shop by Purpose edit. Discover more independent women-led brands through our Women-Led Brands directory, or find considered gift ideas through our Gifts for Her guide and Women's Bags collection.