See Fair Trade at its best in the weaving village we will visit in Uttarakhand.
Not only do the spinners, dyers and weavers receive a fair wage (at least twice as much paid by other organisations), all products are environmentally friendly, made using only natural fibres and natural dyes. Gender equality is practiced and workers are encouraged to continue their education with all expenses paid by the organisation.
*Eri is the most eco friendly and humane silk as it is produced without killing the pupa, which is allowed to become a moth and fly away before the cocoons are hand spun to produce yarn. For this reason it is also called “Peace” silk and “Ahimsa” silk.
** Pashmina, one of the warmest and most luxurious fibres on the planet, is the fibre from the Changthani or Pashmina goat which also produces cashmere fibre. One distinct difference between pashmina and cashmere is the fibre diameter: pashmina fibres are finer and thinner.