Design development cooperation with Tibetan artisan groups

Tibetan Women Center (TWC) and Deykiling Handicraft Center (DHC) both creates job opportunities for Tibetan refugees, mainly women. The design project in cooperation between the designer, Sadhu Subhabrata, IM Fair Trade and the suppliers (TWC and DHC) will affect TWC:s tailoring section, DHC:s weaver and tailoring sections.

The designer, Sadhu, Tsering Youdon (IM Fair Tradecoordinator) and me (IM Fair Trade volunteer) visited the suppliergroups to look at the materials and discuss plans with the managers; Kalsang Wangdu for DHC and Ngodup Wasser for TWC.


Ngdodup Wasser, manager at TWC to the left and Kalsang Wangdu, manager for DHC discussing design development.

So what is planned for these two groups?
The manager of DHC was in favor of new design and the project but was a bit worried about the cost of developing products. It was decided that the yarn and wool in stock should as far as possible be used, it is both faster and cheaper.


Fabric that is weaved at DHC and used for Tibetan jackets and two of the weavers at DHC.

- I plan to develop some new weaves by changing minor loom setting and develop some scarves if possible. Since their fabric is expensive I plan to buy fabric from the market and then use their fabric as accents to develop bags and accessories. I also plan to develop table runners and cushions in their technique of weaving. I will also try to work on some patchwork with them by using their fabric or fabric from outside, says Sadhu about the plans for DHC.


The tailoring section at Tibetan Women Center.

- For TWC we will work on some stitching techniques to create surface and then develop bags and accessories and baby clothes. Some fabric will be procured from the market and rest of the fabrics will be procured from KKM. Techniques will include quilting, patch work and frayed edge appliqué, says Sadhu.

- I focus on two things when it comes to TWC, new fresh design, but they must retain their own identity on them, it should be noticed that they are from here, Sadhu describes.

The main market for TWC and DHC is Tibetan hence it is very important to preserve the Tibetan design in any way in any product. They both also have a small export market and Subhabrata Sadhu planning to design products that might work on an export market.

- There must be a combination of preserving what is good from what already exists and bring new ideas, a mixture of traditional and modern, says Sadhu.

Subhabrata Sadhu says that it is as important for both the groups to maintain and give expression to the Tibetan culture and design of products. However, he talked about reducing the amount of colors and patterns for making accessories and products that can go home to a wider market. The apron by the fabric and other textiles used in Tibetan jackets may be details on the products and combined with more neutral colors.

Strengths and weakness according from a designers point of view
I ask Sadhu to state the suppliers strengths and weakness that can affect their work and design.

- DHC:s strengts is that they have good stitching and weaving skill, a good understanding of quality and colour sense, a positive attitude and a willingness to learn and change. Their weakness is that the productline is expensive, they have limited techniques and lack of dedicated staff to work all the year round.


Tashi Dolma, Tsering Youdon, Subhabrata Sadhu and Ngdoup Wasser looking at the loom and aprontextiles at TWC.

- TWC:s strengts is that they have a positive attitude, a willingness to learn and change, have medium stitching skills and entrepreneurial quality. Their wekness on the other hand is that they have no committed workers to work all the year round, stitching skills is not upto the mark for high end products, they have limited products and a ethnic look of the products, says Sadhu.

One problem with DHC and also for TWC is that the artisans leave their work at the centers for three or four months, usually from September to October, to sell ready-made garment that provides more income. This demands that the collection of samples of the new products must be finished before then, to avoid the project will be on the ice for many months. If the samples can be made in time, the products can be marketed and those who are still at work at the centers can begin the production.

The project plans to start running as soon as possible when Subhabrata Sadhu is finished with the design of the products to the suppliers.

- However there are bound to be many trials before we finalise techniques and choose the right products which can be made easily, he states.

Text by Lilian Sahlin, IM-SOIR Fair Trade volunteer 2010

Capacity building in terms of design development!

The third WFTO Fair Trade principle is about capacity building of which one branch is design development. For that reason IM Fair Trade have started a collaboration with a designer, Subhatra Sadhu, that should work with three of IM Fair Trades suppliers; KKM, Tibetan Women Center (TWC) and Deykiling Handicraft Center (DHC).


The designer that IM Fair Trade started to work with, Subhatra Sadhu.

- The artisans needs guidance in quality improvement, appropriate technology improvement and proper working environment. Many Fair Trade organizations ignore this and fails in successful marketing. That leads to that the artisans is not provided with a sustainable livelihood, claims the freelance textile designer Subhatra Sadhu.

Sadhu have eight years experience in his field and graduated from Govt College of Fine arts in Chennai and National Institute of design. He have been working with NGO:s that works with livelihood developing programe related to textile industry, artisans supported by development organizations and also worked for high end export companys and boutiques.

From his work in commercial business he learned the importance of quality and time in the craftsector.

- The artisans were working an absolute commercial establishment but I found that many handloom weavers and weaver’s co-operative societies were happy working for the company because of their excellent marketing skills. The two things that were stressed on and were enforced by the company were adherence to quality and time. If these two conditions were met the artisans were never denied their share of profit. And the fact that these were upmarket products sold at a high price in the international market, Sadhu states.

He also worked with three Fair Trade organizations previously as he see as a good experience, even though he does not see any big difference between Fair Trade artisans and non Fair tTade artisans at a grass root level.

- Often Fair Trade and non Fair Trade oganizations can have the same supplier. The rates in weaving and handwork is more or less standardized. The thing that vary the most between organizations is the quality on the products and the intensity of the work, that affects the wages. The basic problem for the artisans is not often low wages but the lack of regular work, Sadhu states.

He also states an opinion that Fair Trade organization in general work too little with product development.
- The process have to follow skill development for artisans, efficient market research have to be done and then design development. Often attempts are made to quickly to market artisans product to earn quick money, Sadhu thinks.

The positive side of Fair Trade Sadhu states is that it gets allot of publicity that leads to that consumers in different countries get more aware of traditional crafts, working conditions and the financially weak status of craftspeople. Fair Trade can lead to a higher appreciation of crafts and then generate higher wages at an artisan level and also that the artisans can get the opportunity to travel and interact with buyers directly. With the close interaction between Fair trade organization and the artisans the artisans can get direct exposure to contemporary markets trends, colors and consumer trends. Barely by just having a Fair Trade certificate leads to empowerment and some kind of accountability that the principles are being followed.

- The Fair Trade guidelines also evoked some conscience in the traders working with marginalized artisans and now are more sensitive to their plight, Sadhu states.

One other problem in craftsector connected with Fair Trade is that the orders for the artisans can be very irregular, that also was discussed at Fair Trade Forum Indias work-shop about fair wages.
- Many artisans in the craftsector is not serious about their livelihood. This can be due to an uncertain view on the sector due to lack of work and sustainability that forced them into other, less skilled, livelihood to support themselves, Sadhu states.

As as designer Sadhu ensure certain criteria while working with artisans groups as such as:

• That the design is easily understood.
• That the design and product can be made by the artisans.
• That it takes reasonable time to make the product.
• Time managment and quality have to be stressed as important parameters.
  
• The raw materials have to be easily available.
  
• Each craft have to retain the identity that makes it unique and stand out in the market.
• There should be an understanding of the market.
  

- While working with Fair Trade groups it is important to look at the time it takes to make each product, the cost of the product have to be justified and the wage have to be fair accordingly. Fair Trade can create a false threshold level for the wages that is not adequate for the artisans, so it is important to look at the wages, Sadhu describes.

- Fair Trade organizations have to work continuous with product development and marketing to attract costumers. The craft have to be market as handmade crafts because it is impossible to compete with the price for bulk suppliers and machine made merchandisers, states Sadhu.

The designer, Sadhu, IM:s Fair Tradecoordinator Tsering Youdon and myself met each producer organization in the design project to check with them the available materials and plan the work.

Text and interview made by Lilian Sahlin, Fair Trade volunteer for IM-SOIR 2010.