| Date of report | 3rd October 2021 |
| Name of the firm visited | Tisser India |
| Location of the firm | Mazgaon, Mumbai |
| Date of visit | 30th September 2021 |
| Time of visit | 11 :00 pm – 2 pm |
Report objective: To visit textile industry and gather information about production process and working of the industry.
Fig 1. At Tisser India with Fatima Nalwala ( Sales Superviser)
| Type | Trust |
| Industry focus | Rural cluster |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Area served | India |
| Products | Slow fashion Apparel, home textiles, handicrafts |
| Founder | Dr. Megha Phansalkar |
| Timings | 11 am – 9 pm |
| Website | www.tisserindia.com |
Tisser Artisan Trust is a social enterprise that works to improve the lives of people in India’s rural areas. Women in rural clusters are being retrained and given career possibilities, restoring the dignity of labour. The chances generated are aimed at restoring handcraft goods inspired by India’s rich cultural past, with each art group throughout the globe having its own distinct offering. Women and art are being promoted in great steps of empowerment and exposure. The Tisser Artisan Trust is funded by the income from various grants and the commissions from initiatives we carry out in the interest of providing livelihood for artisans and reviving art. In order to keep artisans in rural clusters afloat, they are taught to manufacture things that are in high demand. It also includes quality assurance and reproduction. They will be able to work independently in the future thanks to the training and direction of cluster managers. Such financial and moral assistance aids people in escaping loan and debt traps. Tisser Artisan Trust actively promotes women’s empowerment by connecting them to larger, more inclusive value chains. The TAT team documents the lives and efforts of such empowered women.
Madhubani, Warli, Kalamkari, Ikat, Teracotta, Pattachitra, Tussar Silk, Block Print, Chanderi, Maheshwari, Dokra, and a variety of other tribal art forms are among the art forms they pursue. Campaigns like “Har Ghar Mein India,” the Grassroot Artisan Movement, and cluster development collaborations with UNDP, L&T, Pidilite, and the Maharashtra State Innovation Society helped them grow the plurality.
Fig 2. Tisser India display room
It documents the diverse stories of women and their strength, creates quality checks to maintain uniformity, builds financial infrastructures to prevent women from falling into debt traps, builds artisan clusters from a tourism perspective to open opportunities for our artisans, and helps artisans at each stage so that they can function independently, all with the goal of sustaining the community. In terms of community development, it aims to provide better opportunities for women who do not have access to education and inclusion, intervene in the value chain with small producers to encourage participation in mainstream markets, and train them in design and function to meet the market’s growing and changing demands.
They have won several awards and recognition such as Priyadarshini Award for outstanding Women Entrepreneurs, Impact award at NAFW, Seattle 2019, Rani Laxmi Bai Bhushan Puraskar, Times She UnLTD. Entrepreneur Awards 2019, Nari Shakti Awards 2018 – Business and Enterprenuership, Iprenuer – National finalist and many others.
Fig 3. Tisser India hall of fame
Tisser brand has been developed with a sense of duty in order for the loom and craft industry to remain not only a bulwark of our historical inheritance, but also to turn into an enterprising fortune of craftsmen in addition to current trade and future commerce. Tisser products are organic, handcrafted, modern, and inexpensive.
They offer wide range of handicraft products such as coasters, jewelry, books, etc
Fig 4. Tisser India handicraft products
They also have amazing collection of Apparel products for both men and women wear. These products are made by the clusters and sold across countries. These products have traditional touch of Indian art. The ir art include hand block print, tussar silk weaving, etc
Fig 5. Tisser India Apparel products
The firm has inhouse team of packaging and production department which are very keen and skilled in their work.
Fig 6. Tisser India manufacturing department
Report Summary
This visit was one of its kind to get practical exposure and deep understanding about Tisser India textiles and handicraft. Women in rural clusters are being retrained and given career possibilities, restoring the dignity of labour. Tisser Artisan Trust actively promotes women’s empowerment by connecting them to larger, more inclusive value chains. The TAT team documents the lives and efforts of such empowered women. It documents the diverse stories of women and their strength, creates quality checks to maintain uniformity, builds financial infrastructures to prevent women from falling into debt traps, builds artisan clusters from a tourism perspective to open opportunities for our artisans, and helps artisans at each stage so that they can function independently, all with the goal of sustaining the community.
In terms of community development, it aims to provide better opportunities for women who do not have access to education and inclusion, intervene in the value chain with small producers to encourage participation in mainstream markets, and train them in design and function to meet the market’s growing and changing demands. They have inhouse team of designers, web developer, graphic designer, tailors who collectively bring the community together by sharing and uplifting the art form of India through their products. This venture is one of its kind as its concept design, products and presentation skills sets it apart from others.
References
By Ayman Satopay
