About The Process: how repurposed saris bring hope and renewal to women in Bangladesh

image via Basha.

Author's Note: I am so thrilled to finally add these beautiful quilts to the shop and tell their incredible stories, but finding a company whose vision, mission, and standards matched my own was harder than I anticipated. Like with- well, nearly everything you can buy- there are vast differences in terms of quality and style when it comes to Kantha Quilts. I began my search for the perfect kantha while in India, digging through shops and market stalls, but I was pretty disappointed with the low quality of materials and manufacturing methods.

Since it makes zero sense- seriously, zero- to sell, let alone own, something that isn't useful or beautiful (William Morris was on point), not to mention employ others to make it, I knew that I wouldn't settle for a less-than-stellar product. When I discovered Basha, I was such an instant fan of their designs and direction that I decided to take a leap of faith and I am so glad that I did. The patterns and fabrics are vibrant and clean and incredibly soft, like your-favorite-t-shirt-soft. Not only has each Basha quilt passed a super strict quality-control test, they have been made to age beautifully with {gentle} washing and wear. I hope you will treasure these unique works of art and the stories embedded in every colorful stitch and inch of fabric.

Enjoy the process!

Hailey

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About the Process: { BASHA. } "a house of hope"

image via Basha

At Basha, women who were once oppressed by cultural, educational, and financial systems, earn their freedom and independence by using their hands to create beautiful and unique textiles that tell a story. Each quilt begins its life as colorful cotton sari fabric worn by women throughout Bangladesh that is transformed, one stitch at a time, into stunning symbols of hope and renewal. 

During my trip to India last year (did you know I went to India? Have I mentioned that before?! ha.) I was struck by the beautiful sarees (sari/saree, try to keep up. sorry...whoops) that I saw women wearing everywhere we went. And I mean, everywhere. Women wear elaborate and delicate sarees while working in fields, riding on a scooter, walking around the markets, carrying children, and cooking. Personally, this seems like having to climb scaffolding in a floor-length bridesmaid dress, but I've only wore a sari for a total of 3 hours that two women wrapped, pinned, and tucked it around me while I tried to not fall over. But for most women, particularly those who are married, throughout Southern Asia, sarees are the most common and culturally embraced form of dress.

image via Basha

The average sari requires five to nine yards of fabric which not only makes them relatively heavy, but also expensive, so many women may only own one or two at a time. The most affordable options are often made from colorful block-printed cotton fabric that can withstand the elements and be mended as needed (notice the little patches on the blankets). Once the material is eventually discarded, it is often re-sold in markets. This is where Basha comes in...

image via Basha

After acquiring the fabric, the pieces are cut into salvageable panels to be layered and assembled with even rows of stitches, known as the "kantha" technique, to produce functional and beautiful home goods and accessories. Kantha quilts can take up to 40 hours to create, depending on the size and complexity, but the role of Basha has less to do with teaching technique as it does with providing women a safe place to work, a means to provide for their families, and perhaps most importantly, a way for them to cultivate community with other women. 

As in many countries around the world, human trafficking and addiction is rampant and many women find themselves trapped in systems and marriages that are oppressive and abusive. Without access to work or support, most of these women do not have a safe way of freeing themselves or their children from the cycle. Basha not only provides their artisans with a safe work environment, stable income, and access to health care and education for their children- it also serves as a platform that empowers them to rebuild the lives they were previously deprived of.

How will a one-of-a-kind quilt be part of your story?

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Why Gurus Wear Scarves (and the occasional neck brace) // a visit to The Old Prayer in India

Last week I wrote about how I find product for the Habitation Co. shop, which sometimes looks like having an hour-long conversation with a woman wearing a neck brace, in her tiny shop in a hotel lobby in New Delhi, India...

On the very last day of our two-week trip in India, my friend Erica, and I were meeting a few of the remaining girls from our group for lunch before departing on our long journeys home. One of the girls had just visited "The Old Prayer", the little boutique in the back corner of our hotel lobby, and was wearing the prettiest scarf that she had just purchased there. When Erica and I told her we were planning on stopping by, she asked if we could take a photo of the shop keeper for her. 

We step into the shop, a narrow room with a long rack of pastel cotton tunics and dresses along one wall, and pink floral wall paper along another. In the back, at her small desk, is Mrs. Singh, the shop keeper. Effortlessly chic in a silk jacket, chignon bun, and velcro neckbrace, she stands up to greet us. After a few minutes of browsing around the job, Erica asks Mrs. Singh if we could take a photo of her, explaining that it was for a friend who had visited earlier. Though baffled as to why these American girls would want a photo of or with her, and slightly self-conscious of the foam brace around her neck, she politely agreed. After a few minutes, we had gotten our photo and were ready to pick out a scarf and be on our way, but Mrs. Singh had other plans for us.

Erica, Mrs. Singh, and her neckbrace

One of us must have asked Mrs. Singh about the neckbrace (probably Erica, she asks about those things) and I believe her answer was along the lines of "the normal aches and pains of aging". But before we knew it, she was telling us a very personal story- about the premature loss of her father, husband, and son, and how she has since found peace, and even happiness despite her grief. "We must be worthy of our misfortunes", she explained, that loss and mourning is just as much a part of life as our blessings, and that they can teach us something if we are willing to learn.

At this point, Erica was in tears, and I was silently holding my cell phone camera as still as possible on the other side of the room, but Mrs. Singh had only gotten started. "India loves when white girls come to visit!" she continued, "because they are always looking for something- some answer, something outside of ourselves". Yes, we often believe that some Guru in a remote village has the secret to our happiness, or purpose, in life, and we have to fly to the opposite side of the world and eat a lifetime's worth of curry, to find it.

Mrs. Singh's take on these "gurus"? "What? They don't know shit!" she claims. She has our full attention now.

"What do they (gurus) know?! They've never done anything, been anywhere. YOU are the gurus, you are ones who are doing things, trying new things..." she continued. New "things" like leaving our homes and lives 12,000 miles away to travel in a foreign land with a group of strangers. New things like starting businesses, forging relationships, and learning new skills. New things that rip us out of our comfort zones, stretch us, test us, and challenge us. This is how we grow, this is where our "answers" are. 

In the end, yes, we each bought a scarf as planned, but left that little shop with so much more. It was truly the best way to end our two-week journey. Also the best? Spending our last hours in Delhi exploring the Gandhi Museum and having tea in the garden of our hotel. Followed by a delicious dinner (of chow mein, because enough with the curry already.) And the hour-long massages we opted for before taking a late night taxi to the airport where we had one last drink ("sweet lime") with one of our incredible hostesses Lisa before boarding our separate flights... Really, the last day of our trip was, in every way, just as amazing as all of the others. 

Last year, as I was preparing to order products for the shop, I knew that I needed to find a way to carry some of these "Old Prayer scarves". After a few months of sending Facebook messages and emails back and forth I received my first order of scarves last fall. I named each scarf for one of the amazing women I spent those two weeks in India with. Several have already been snatched up but there are still plenty of styles in the shop. 

When the first set of scarves started to sell out (and I started getting asked about when a new order would be coming!), I began the process of re-ordering and I am so excited to share that our new shipment has arrived!! Twelve more of these beauties will be making their way to the shop in the next week or so. 

the new scarves! watch for them in the shop soon!

The internet, photos, and my words cannot do these scarves justice but trust me when I say that they are the most beautiful and unique (truly one-of-a-kind!) scarves I have ever seen. They are soft, and light weight, and versatile, and high quality- made from the softest fabrics and finished with unique details like little hand-sewn buttons and seashell tassels. They are also big because what use is a tiny scarf. These scarves are easy to wear and seriously perfect for all weather, year-round, and can easily be layered over a dress, t-shirt, or sweater. 

I mean, look, they are scarves- you know how they work. I'm not here to tell you why scarves are fun- you probably already know that. What I am here to do is share stories about things that have been made with love and skill by people who value the same things as you and I. Not only do these scarves remind me of people like Mrs. Singh, the "gurus" I already know, and the interesting places I've visited- they are also just really beautiful. and comfortable. and high quality. and unique and something you probably need at least one of in your life.

But what do I know, I'm just a guru. 

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Enjoy the process!

Hailey

The Beautiful Sarees of Rajasthan

When I visited Rajasthan this past spring, one of the very first things I noticed as we left Delhi and traveled into the rural countryside, were the women working in the fields. From the window of our bus, they simply looked like little specks of color- neon orange, purple, turquoise, and yellow- scattered amongst the sprawling fields of crops. In the first small village we passed, I saw groups of colorfully dressed women walking along the side of the road, carrying everything from bags of rice to stacks of logs on their heads, and I realized they were wearing full-length sarees. 

Although the major cities like New Delhi are becoming increasingly Westernized and modernized, most of the rural areas are still very conservative and traditional. While young girls can be seen wearing fabric pants, most women, especially those who are married, are expected to keep most of their bodies covered in public. However, many women simply choose to cover their hair and faces to reduce exposure to dirt, pollution, and the harsh sun. I was amazed at the things I saw women doing in sarees- from working in the fields, to carrying their babies on their backs, riding mopeds, shopping in markets, and cooking meals.

Everywhere we went, we saw women in beautiful, delicately embroidered, and boldly patterned sarees. They were extraordinarily elegant and such a vibrant contrast against the crumbling buildings, dirt roads, and chaotic surroundings. According to an essay dated July 2012, the sari is "an economical and easy-to-wear garment, suitable for work, leisure, or luxury". Personally, I would equate it to trying to run errands in a floor-length bridesmaid dress- which pretty much rules out any physical exertion, meals, and sudden movements. But then again, my t-shirt is usually a scrapbook of everything I ate, drank, or did during the day, so I may not be an expert on this subject. 

Although sarees have been worn by Indian women for thousands of years and can be seen in early paintings and illustrations, their overall style has not changed very much, but individual styles, patterns, colors, and motifs continue to evolve. Often, a woman's class or socioeconomic status can be determined by her sari, depending on the materials or intricacies of the design itself. Because sarees are worn by almost all women in India, on a daily basis, there is a thriving textile industry in Rajasthan, however, this also contributes to a huge amount of waste. To reduce the amount of useable fabric that ends up in landfills, skilled artisans have begun to repurpose scraps of cotton, silk, and synthetic sari material into everything from beautiful throw blankets to accessories. 

When I saw this line of beautiful patchwork textile accessories I knew I wanted to add them to the shop. These pouches, clutches, and my personal favorite- leather and fabric yoga mat bags- are simply stunning. Each item is truly one-of-a-kind and has been carefully stitched together, in a patchwork motif, with complimentary thread, sequins, beadwork, and embroidery. What I love even more is that by using recycled fabric, there is less textile waste polluting the earth, and many people- up to 100 work on this collection alone!- in rural areas have employment opportunities that allow them to provide for their families and communities. 

Shop all of our upcycled and sustainable accessories here. What earth-friendly goodies would you love to see more of in the shop? 

Thanks for reading!

Hailey