DESI and Charaka women show that Gandhi's philosophy still works

A rural women's collective and its marketing arm have created an ecosystem in which weavers get reasonable wages for producing ecologically sustainable, naturally dyed fabric

Craftspeople across rural India, who are struggling with lack of market access and design inputs, need look no further than a cooperative from Karnataka for inspiration.
 
Charaka, a rural women’s collective, and its marketing arm DESI Trust, have grown from a band of 13 women and two sewing machines in 1994 to a workforce of 800 across seven districts of the southern state.
 
It all began when a group of civic-minded citizens began travelling to villages in and around Shivamogga district to understand the local culture, lifestyle and problems of villagers.
 
“After chatting with them, we realised