WORK+SHELTER exists to help women-in-need in India. This goal is accomplished in a number of different ways including meeting new team members or staff where they are on professional level, and providing them with opportunities, support, and tools along the way.

Our team members in New Delhi may have vastly different levels of educational or work experience. Some women have never been to school a day in their lives. Others have graduated from government schools but are still in need of foundational training. For our production team we have training initiatives on how to stitch, quality check, and finish garments. But we also have training initiatives for our junior level management staff. Junior level manager tends to be unmarried women in their early 20’s who need to work to support their parents or siblings. They may have basic education, but usually do not have any professional work opportunity or experience. Our recent trainings with them include the following:

• Professional norms and standards coaching
• Google Docs, Sheets, and Drive
  • Calendar invites, simple formulas, folder creation
• English for emails
  • Writing basic emails, later refined by senior staff
• Process document creation and refinement
  • Memorializing steps and tools

An excerpt from Khushi, who started off on the stitching team but is now overseeing logistics can be found here.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by WORK+SHELTER (@workshelter)

An excerpt and self-assessment from the cultural homework of a junior level manager:

To support our mission of helping women-in-need by ordering custom-sewn goods, please connect with us at [email protected].

When someone offers you a glass of water, what’s your response? If you’re thirsty and it’s a hot day, satisfying your thirst, at least in the U.S., is a pleasure you don’t have to think much about.

Where we work in India, a glass of water is potentially dangerous. Simply put, water pollution occurs when unprocessed sewage or industrial waste ends up in the public water supply.

For us, in Delhi, where our production center is located, the issue is endemic. Delhi has been crowned the world’s 5th most polluted city. We’re a stone’s throw away from the Yamuna River, which according to a Google Maps review has “very poor water condition.” That’s an understatement. When WORK+SHELTER was founded over a decade ago, people would still bathe in the river. Now, the smell of sewage and industrial water is so pervasive it’s hard to even pass by in a moving vehicle. The river is technically “dead,” a painful term used when a river cannot sustain life.

A man looks for recyclable items on the banks of the Yamuna, on the outskirts of New Delhi. Photograph: Dominique Faget/AFP/Getty Images

To add insult to injury, this situation is especially tough for the many folks in India who are already struggling to meet basic food needs. Baseline, to get clean water one has to either purchase it for a premium from local water vendors or invest in a water filtration system that in and of itself can cost more than what low-income folks earn in a month. Even then, these systems are not effective if the water is too dirty.

What’s the Deal with Water Pollution in the Fashion Industry?

Water is a key player in the supply chain. Water pollution can actually be the result of many different stages throughout the production process. Take a cotton t-shirt: a large part of the production process surrounds the harvesting of the cotton. However, if that cotton isn’t being sourced organically, there is a high probability it’s getting treated with harmful chemicals and pesticides that the rain ends up washing away, into the groundwater.

A textile manufacturing plant in Tianjin, China. Credit: Lu Guang/Greenpeace

Fast forward, and that cotton has been spun into yarns that will later become your new favorite t-shirt.  But first they need to be dyed. Workers have to mix a variety of different chemicals together to get that color just right, and as a result these dyes could contain toxins such as AZO dyes, which are so bad they have actually been banned in countries including China, Japan, India, Vietnam, and the European Union. Not only can these chemicals harm workers, but if they are not disposed of properly these toxins then go and wreak havoc in the environment. The garment dyeing process is no simple process, and sometimes means dyeing that yarn/fabric/t-shirt several times to get it just right.

Water pollution is the most notable impact of clothing production, with around 20 percent of global industrial water pollution traceable directly back to the textiles industry.

When you look at that finished garment, it’s impossible to know everything that went into creating it. What were the conditions like during production? How much water was used throughout the process? And most importantly…

How is Water Waste Discarded After Being Used in the Garment Production Process?

Where does it continue or end its lifespan? That water waste or “sludge” can be defined as all of the leftover chemicals and toxins extracted after producing a garment. Unfortunately, oftentimes the answer to that question is that it ends up getting dumped into nearby waterways, where some people see it as “out of sight, out of mind.” I cannot stress how common this is, with  75%-80% of waterways in India polluted.

One process we have observed in dyeing facilities several filtration or separating stages and then finally an evaporation stage where the sun was used to evaporate remaining water, leaving only the waste. The compacted waste then gets picked up by a waste management specialist and taken to a facility to be disposed of properly.

But the issue is complicated. Well-resourced factories have the best chance of accommodating regulations by investing into water waste management systems. Small scale factories can have a harder time investing in these systems. In low-income areas, this becomes more than an environmental problem, it becomes a case of ethics. These factory workers need their jobs in order to make an income to support themselves and their families, however if the factories are not disposing of their water waste properly then all of the employees are at risk, along with those living in nearby communities.

How Does WORK+SHELTER Cut Down on Water Pollution?

One option is to pressure mills to build proper water waste management infrastructure over time. This requires serious relationships in order for them to see that the downside of NOT building this infrastructure will cost them over time. It also requires the willingness to spend more on fabric upfront, since the mills have to cover the costs of this infrastructure somewhere, and accessing capital in developing markets can be especially tough.

Another more direct option is to only purchase certified materials. For us, over 70% of the fabrics we purchase are GOTS certified. GOTS, also known as the Global Organic Textile Standard, aims to define requirements that ensure organic status of textiles, from harvesting the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing up to labeling in order to provide a credible assurance to the end consumer. Basically, to be GOTS certified means that the clothing or textiles are made through a sustainable process, using organically grown fibers. 

Organic cotton is grown without toxic chemicals, but unless the clothes are certified under GOTS, bluesign®, or Oeko-Tex certifications, toxic chemicals may be added in the textile production process.

When being considered for a GOTS certification, mills undergo a heavy inspection to ensure that the fabrics are the real deal. Remember those scary AZO dyes we mentioned earlier? A large part of the GOTS certification process involves checking fabric production processes to ensure there are no AZO dyes or other harmful dyes being used.

Swaddles for our client This Feels Nice, made from GOTS-certified organic cotton.

While water pollution is a very serious issue in the broader fashion and promotional products industries, we are excited to be able to provide access to eco-friendly materials for our clients. If you’re curious about our in-stock GOTS-certified fabric offerings, drop us a line at [email protected].

Welcome to the third installment of our development services blog series! If you haven’t checked out the first two posts, we encourage you to do so: How W+S Brings Your Custom Product Designs to Life and When W+S Development Services are Right For You.

This post will give you an overview of how and where we source our fabrics. We always seek to align our customers’ fabric needs with fair trade, ethical, and sustainable values. Lucky for us, India has a rich history of producing some of the world’s best fibers, ranging from hand-woven silks to rain-grown, drought-resistant cotton.

The WORK+SHELTER team meeting with one of the natural-dye artisan groups we work with.

At WORK+SHELTER, we have five main avenues when it comes to fabric sourcing.

1. In-Stock Sustainable: readily available in-house – a range of basic colors in organic cotton (woven + knit)
   
2. Small-Scale Sustainable: made to order upon client purchase – typically our in-house fabrics are dyed, or small batch artisan silks
   
3. Industrial-Scale Sustainable: made to order upon client purchase –
4. Conventional 
   • Industrial: made to order upon client purchase
   • Market Ready: readily available

Minimum order quantities (MOQs) vary based on fabric choice. Woven fabric MOQs are measured in length (meters), while knit fabric MOQs are measured in weight (kilograms). WORK+SHELTER has flexible sewing minimums, but the piece minimums for your order are often dependent on reaching fabric order minimums. 

A note: because knit MOQs are measured in weight, heavier knits will have lower piece minimums and lighter knits will have higher piece minimums. For example:

• 500 kgs jersey double knit = 500 doubleknit ponte blazers 
• 500 kg jersey standard knit = 1,500 lightweight jersey t-shirts

IN-STOCK SUSTAINABLE

W+S holds inventory of many basic fabrics, including:

• Organic cotton 5 oz and 12 oz canvas, in natural
• Organic cotton knit jersey in black, white, grey, and other select colors
• Organic cotton 8 oz duck, in white, used for digital prints and dyeable at 100 meter minimums
  

We can usually provide lower MOQs on your order if you use our stock fabrics. We have done the legwork for you to ensure that these fabrics are sustainable and ethically produced. 

Generally our in-house fabrics are best suited for promotional items and basic apparel, such as totes, t-shirts, and accessories. Exact minimums will be determined by your product. Typically, a 50-piece minimum would be our smallest order.

WORK+SHELTER  team visiting a sustainable cellulose-fiber studio in Noida.

SMALL-SCALE SUSTAINABLE

We’ve fostered many connections over time with small-scale producers of beautiful handwoven silks, handwoven recycled fibers, and a variety of other handmade fabrics. 

These artisan groups are able to supply custom handwoven fabrics in small quantities. It’s important to note that this process takes time; fabric production can take 4-6 weeks or more. But because of the small scale and handmade nature of this fabric, minimums can be as low as 100 meters.

Our sourcing team is sometimes able to buy in-stock “leftovers” from large West Elm orders at a handwoven silk producer in Delhi. This allows us to provide top-of-the-line quality on a smaller scale, and makes these fabrics accessible to our client partners when they otherwise wouldn’t have been. These materials are available in limited stock and may sell out quickly.

Both options above have a higher price point than machine-woven fabric. But you get what you pay for: fabrics that are unique and special, and support an amazing artisanal heritage. 

An important note: artisanal fabrics available at small scale are generally woven. This is because they are hand-loomed. Knits, in contrast, are almost always produced on a machine, making them difficult to purchase on a smaller scale.

INDUSTRIAL-SCALE SUSTAINABLE

For larger-scale production, we can provide fabric options in both knits and wovens that are GOTS, Fair Trade, BCI, or OEKO-TEX certified. Big mills are often able to make investments in water purification, solar panels, or other infrastructure improvements that may be out of reach for smaller producers, so they can be a great solution for scaled production.

To access certified fabrics, it’s generally necessary to place larger orders. When it comes to knits production volumes starts around 500 – 1,000 kgs (though this can usually be split into more than one colorway).

One of our vendors, KG Denim, made this video to provide insight into their sustainable production process.

CONVENTIONAL

Industrial Scale

Over 95% of the fabrics we source at WORK+SHELTER  have an environmental qualifier, meaning they are either recycled, upcycled, or organic. That said, we are able to purchase conventional fabrics if we’re not able to find the right fabric with the right MOQ and timeline for your order. Please note, conventional sourcing must be a short term solution, with the goal of transitioning into sustainable sourcing practices over time.

Market-Ready

For some orders, we can send our in-house merchandising team to the local markets to source conventional materials for small-scale production. Because there is a lack of information available on the supply chain, fabrics are usually available only in small quantities, and fabrics are only in stock while supplies last, this option is best as a backup plan. 

If you have something a design that you’re looking to develop or discuss further, drop us a line at [email protected]. You can also find more information on our website here.

Celebrating Diwali, November 2021.

WORK+SHELTER was founded in 2011. To celebrate, we compiled a timeline of highlights and turning points as we’ve grown our staff,  our expertise, and our reliance on green materials.

We couldn’t have gotten this far without our wonderful clients, who helped us grow. Thank you!

A WORK+SHELTER Timeline

2007:

• W+S founder Theresa VanderMeer visits India for the first time, as part of a program at the University of Michigan funded by an Indian philanthropist team, to study how economic empowerment affects women’s well-being.

Quality control training in progress.

2011:

• Following a successful crowdfunding effort, in December Theresa founds WORK+SHELTER in north Delhi as a not-for-profit center that pays women a fair trade wage. 
• For the first several years, W+S makes hand-knitted items that are sold direct to consumer.
• Relying solely on donations, the focus is providing support to local women at risk due to societal issues related to widowhood, divorce, abuse, and neglect by teaching them a trade.

“When a woman starts earning an income, it transforms her ability to care for her children and herself, and it gives her a status in the family that she might not have had before.”       

–Theresa VanderMeer

W+S takes delivery of its first industrial sewing machines.

2013-2014:

• W+S produces its first large-scale order, of hand-sewn Christmas ornaments.
• W+S takes delivery of its first industrial sewing machines.
• W+S produces an order for the South African consulate and has a fundraiser at the Dutch ambassador’s house in Delhi.

2015:

• W+S produces its first tote bag order.
• W+S buys its first industrial overlock sewing machines, allowing it to take t-shirt orders.
• W+S develops a relationship with a local printing artisan and starts offering screen-printed products.

“I love how no one makes anyone feel like there’s a ‘boss’ or there’s a ‘worker.’ Everyone works like a team.” –Khushi,  who started at W+S as a stitcher but is now a member of the logistics team.

2016:

• W+S ships its first woven apparel order.
• W+S gets orders from its first fortune-500 clients.
• After success at a global trade show, W+S makes the shift to becoming a hybrid model with both nonprofit and for-profit legal entities and moves to a new, larger center.
• W+S starts vetting its vendors for sustainability by asking questions about the inks used in its printing process: “You cannot say you’re helping women if you’re not also actively working to protect the environment they’re living in.” –Theresa VanderMeer

Using the electric cutter.

2017:

• W+S works with its first organic cotton vendor, as it starts to step up its commitment to environmental concerns.
• W+S raises the bar by investing in a Pantone book and an electric cutting machine.
• W+S expands its management team with new hires in both India and the U.S.
  

  2017: Fair trade brand World Finds visits.

2018:

• W+S ships its first order to a big-box retailer.
• W+S stops paying its seamstresses piece rates and starts paying them salaries.
• W+S starts to formalize its training program.
• W+S institutionalizes the use of tech packs and starts adopting other lean manufacturing principles.

2019:

• In a year of increasing demand and growing capabilities, W+S increases its staff of stitchers and expands its space again.
• W+S starts working with digital files and markers.
• W+S starts incorporating B Corp standards into its processes.

Gathering in the new office, 2019.

2020:

• W+S introduces rPET (recycled polyester, made from discarded plastic bottles) to its line of stock fabrics.
• W+S pays women their full salaries during India’s national lockdown due to COVID-19. The women on staff in India spend their time in lockdown working on their English and leadership skills.
• W+S starts producing face masks and leans into producing custom apparel to get through the pandemic, with a newly beefed-up sampling department.

2021:

• W+S pays women their full salaries during Delhi’s regional lockdown due to COVID-19.
• W+S invests in additional machines so the women can make masks at home for distribution to the community.
• W+S expands its factory, with beautiful new spaces for the line sewers and packing and QC staff.
  

“WORK+SHELTER saved me from quitting. I think I always had the courage but was lacking self-belief. That’s what I learned here. Now this is my happy place.” –Rita, a stitcher at W+S

2022:

• W+S scales up training processes resulting in increased capacity for more complex stitching
• W+S develops a more sophisticated supply chain for digitally printed items

Want to help us continue to grow and provide support to local women at risk? You can donate to our nonprofit arm right here.

Have you ever felt like fabric scraps are the bane of your existence? No? Ok, maybe it’s just me! At WORK+SHELTER fabric scraps are one of those pests, that no matter how hard you try (unless we’re working with a zero-waste* design) you simply cannot avoid them. Think of it this way, you have a giant, rectangular sheet of fabric that you measure out and cut down into the shape of a t-shirt, but then what? You’re left with some small, really funky, shaped pieces of material.

You have two options:

1. Discard them in a nearby landfill, where they will likely be incinerated
2. Make cool stuff out of them!

Many factories do choose to throw their fabric scraps away. It’s hard to perfectly predict the amount of fabric waste associated with making one t-shirt, since manufacturers work with different patterns. However, according to a case study done by Reverse Resources, when surveying over 40 factory managers in Europe + Asia, they found that waste from production falls between 10% to 30% from intake materials. If this was the case at WORK+SHELTER, we wouldn’t be able to sleep soundly at night knowing our scraps were going to waste. If the only bottom line you’re measuring is profit, it can make sense to just throw scraps away. However, at WORK+SHELTER, we consider people, planet, and profit as equal stakeholders. Thus, we choose to put our fabric scraps to work.

How does WORK+SHELTER repurpose fabric scraps?

Scrap Rugs

For longer pieces of fabric scraps that we collect, we give them to local weavers who are able to magically transform them into beautiful rugs. For any smaller pieces, we save them onsite for times when the power goes out. This is a pretty common occurrence in India and when the power does go out the women lose access to our sewing machines, since they are powered by electricity. During this downtime the ladies create small rugs from the saved fabric scraps. One year we gave all of our employees a large scrap rug for the holidays.

Pictured: a scrap rug made entirely from a mix of fabric scraps.

Training Fabric

Each time we hire a new employee at our center in Delhi, they enter a paid training program where they learn skills such as cutting, sewing, stitching and finishing. As with anyone learning a new skill, mistakes happen. Training presents the perfect opportunity to put those fabric scraps to good use! The women use them as practice materials to make any and all test products. Which brings us into our third use…

Clothing for Vulnerable Children

During the training process, we start the women out with small projects, including sewing together children’s clothing. Because the dimensions are smaller than adult sized clothing, we find it more effective for them to master these small projects before moving onto larger apparel items. Once these t-shirts are finished they are sent to orphanages or non-profits to be distributed to children in-need.

Face Masks

We donated over 10,000 face masks to a variety of organizations globally during the pandemic.

Pictured: a family in Delhi wearing WORK+SHELTER made face masks from 100% organic cotton fabric scraps.

Donate the Scraps for Educational Use

We partnered with Professor Christine Facella at Parsons School of Design in New York City, USA and her students on ideas for how to turn fabric scraps into creative new products. We sent actual scraps from our factory in India to NYC for the class to work on. See for yourself what some of these amazing students were able to come up with here!

One thing we find important to note about fabric scraps is that they are inconsistent. One week we may have an abundance of organic cotton fabric scraps and the next week we could have a pile of recycled polyester scraps. This is what makes it tough to fulfill custom design pieces using scraps. 

If you would like your scraps put to use for your order (maybe a small zip pouch?), check out our recommendations below on best practices when designing with scraps:

• Keep it small! Fabric scrap yields are limited by nature, so plan for a product with a low fabric utilization (think scrunchies or face masks).
• Keep it simple! We can’t always promise that printing or embroidery will be available for fabric scrap products, because sometimes the pieces are too small to work with, so it is best to stick with a simple product design.

Pictured: WORK+SHELTER face mask, zip pouch + scrunchies all made from our 100% organic cotton fabric scraps.

Beyond that, we’re happy to discuss designing out scraps for the design-lovers out there by sharing fabric widths and other relevant production details. And then for our promotional products buyers out there, our line has already been developed with scrap reduction in mind.

As always, we’re open to new ideas and happy to answer any questions you may have, including how to best utilize scraps from your order! Drop us a line at [email protected] if you want to discuss options. 

Zero waste* = [according to the Zero Waste International Alliance] the conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health