Embroidery and Dye Workshops

Indian social enterprise label Saheli Women is bringing its ethical wares to Melbourne, holding an eight-day pop-up showroom in Thornbury. Over henna and chai, Saheli Women’s founder Madhu Vaishnav will run workshops on embroidery and natural dye, and attendees will create either a piece of embroidery or a silk scarf that’s been eco-printed. 

After nine years of producing garments for other brands, Saheli Women has stepped out on its own, creating garments under its own label. The female-owned enterprise will bring pieces from its Dhora (meaning desert) collection, as well as introducing its men’s range.

Based in Rajasthan in north-western India, Saheli Women is keenly focused on empowering women through economic opportunity and career development. Employees are provided skills training, transport assistance, health insurance, on-site childcare, flexible work options and self-managed schedules.

“Through our social enterprise we challenge gender, caste and religious discrimination, centring our approach around equality, sustainability and transparency at all stages of the value chain,” Vaishnav says. “We believe that financially empowering women, through skills development, can have transformative potential for the wider community.”

Tickets for the embroidery and natural dye workshops are $25 each.

More information here.