By: Amy Newsome
If you look around the Co-op right now you should be able to see the new Moscow Food Co-op reusable cotton bags made by a new supplier: Re-wrap. These expertly crafted bags feature the lovely botanical art of local artist, Lauren Jane Peterson.
Re-wrap is a non-profit organization that provides employment for rural women in India producing handmade organic cotton products like bags, aprons, tea towels, table cloths, napkins and even reusable fabric gift wrap. Re-wrap began in 2009 with just 15 women. Now there are over 150 women employees working from sewing centers or from home. These jobs give the woman an opportunity to be financially independent so marriage can be a choice, not a necessity; and for those women with children, the job provides funding for their children’s education. They are also provided health insurance and a savings plan.
Re-wrap uses cotton from small scale local organic farmers. This not only guarantees the farmers a purchaser for their cotton but also provides financing to the farmers to help them acquire the supplies necessary to start growing. Re-wrap uses only environmentally safe dyes in their printing process and recycles or reuses everything they can. Their default shipping method is by sea because it has a lower environmental impact than air freight.
There is a lovely video on their website introducing you to the seamstresses and shows you what their typical 8 hour work day looks like. Their day begins with prayers and making beautiful mandalas on the ground with brightly colored sand. Their sewing sessions are broken up with group stretching and yoga, a communal meal, snacks, and afternoon tea time. The women radiate the sense of camaraderie they feel. The video also features beautiful Indian music and lovingly shows the people and sights of India.
Every year, Re-wrap provides the women and their families a 3 to 4 day excursion of their choosing. They usually choose to visit a religious or historical site. It gives them all a chance to take a break from work and allows their families to socialize.
Re-wraps’s mission statement: “Re-wrap is a social enterprise whose purpose is to create organic, hand crafted textile products that will have the most positive impact on people and the environment.”
Re-wrap Company Snapshot
Founded in 2009
Headquartered in London, UK
Sewing Centers in India
Organic Cotton Farms in India
World Fair Trade Organization Member
Global Organic Textile Certified
This information and more can be found at: re-wrap.com
Amy Newsome didn’t realize she already has a bag made by re-wrap but it’s one of her favorites. It’s a bag from Lush that has an image of two rabbits that appear to be fighting and the phrase “Fighting against Animal Testing.”