Clean Water 4 Artisans Water Filtration Campaign

cleanwater4artisans campaign logo

 

 

Mehera Shaw is a fair trade artisan lifestyle clothing manufacturer specializing in hand block printing techniques. Our manufacturing base is Jaipur, India; our U.S. office is in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 

Mehera Shaw produces high-end clothing lines for brands in Australia, Ireland, UK, Canada, Germany, and the U.S., as well as our own in-house brand.

At present, we are in the process of expanding our product line of clothing and homewares, using certified organic cottons made in India and AZO-free dyes. 

Along with this, we have upgraded our environmental standards to include not only sustainable fabrics and low-impact dyes, but to also improve on our water filtration during our block printing and fabric dyeing. 

To that end, we launched a CleanWater4Artisans crowd-funding campaign in  April, 2018 with the goal of building an improved water filtration system. 

We raised sufficient funds and have since built a new ETP system and rain water catchment system. 

Next goals include obtaining GOTS certification and donating 10% of the funds we received toward village/artisan water filtration systems to help other block printers.

 

Campaign Description

 

block printing process

Mehera Shaw is committed to true Fair Trade partnerships with the artisans who dye and print our fabrics, and with our staff of pattern masters, cutters and stitchers who create durable, beautiful garments.  We work to provide our employees (all staff are full-time, permanent employees) with economic stability, so that their families--and communities--can survive and flourish.

fair trade principles

Our campaign was based on pre-sales of our range of block printed products: homewares, scarves, loungewear in organic cottons. 

Mehera Shaw lookbook

We asked our customers to help support us in making artisan heritage crafts, fair trade, organic fabrics and water filtration not only environmentally sustainable, but a way of the future.

Help us be part of the solution.

Why do we need a water filtration system?

The next step of Mehera Shaw’s journey toward being more earth-friendly and sustainable was building an improved effluent treatment plant (ETP) --a water filtration system--for our facility outside of Jaipur. 

Rajasthan is a desert state, where water is precious and scarce.  Block printing requires a lot of water.  We need to reduce the amount of water we use, clean and reuse as much as we can, and discharge only water that's been filtered and that has had the dye residue filtered out.

The textile industry in India is a massive polluter. Toxic dye residues find their way into fields, streams, and crops.

The artisan-friendly ETP system removes the dye residue, meaning we can recycle the wash water and reuse it for fabric washing.  Combined with a rainwater catchment system, we can expect to reduce our water use by up to 80 percent.

etp schematic

Those who contributed to our CleanWater4Artisans campaign, contributed--in a small but vital way--to better lives and a healthier planet.

 

From see to garment: process of making sustainable clothing

 

How did we spend your CleanWater4Artisans money?

  • Design and build an improved (artisan friendly) water filtration (ETP) system to filter wash water from block printing. (phase 1 completed)
  • Increase our block printing capacity (phase 1 completed)
  • Install a rainwater catchment system, to capture water during the seasonal monsoons. (phase 2 completed)
  • Install solar panels, to reduce our dependence on the electricity grid and move us closer to our goal of energy independence. (phase 3 coming soon)
  • Donate 10% of the funds received to home-size artisan filtration units for printers in the village of Bagru along with demonstrations on how to make, use and maintain the systems. (phase 4 coming soon)
  • Apply for GOTS certification (phase 5 coming soon)

 

 

Bagru block printing

 

Artisan level water filtration system

 

What GOTS Certification will mean to Mehera Shaw

GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) is the world's gold standard for ensuring that a garment is truly organic, from the planting and harvesting of raw materials through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing, all the way to labeling.  Mehera Shaw uses GOTS certified organic cottons in 95% of our manufacturing.  Installing an ETP system will qualify Mehera Shaw for GOTS certification at every level of our production.

 

 

 

Fit/Sizing/Care

FIT

Our styles are meant to give room to breath and move.  We use fine tailoring coupled with a relaxed, comfortable fit.

We use a fit guide for each of our styles to provide more information about the fit that was intended.

Slim Fit: a close fit to the body. Regular Fit: a comfortable, relaxed fit with room around the body. Generous Fit: a very loose fit (such as in our oversized blouses) with lots of room around the body for ease of movement.

SIZING

h4XS/ 36

h4S/ 38

h4M/40

h4L/ 42

h4XL/44

h4chest

h435.5 inches/ 90 cm

h437.5 inches/95 cm

h439.5 inches/ 100 cm

h441.5 inches/ 105 cm

h444.5 inches. 113 cm

h44cm extra from body

h4waist

h426 inches/ 66 cm

h428 inches/ 71 cm

h430 inches/ 76 cm

h432 inches/ 81 cm

h435 inches/ 89 cm

h4fitted

h4low waist

h428 inches/71 cm

h430 inches/76 cm

h432 inches/ 81 cm

h434 inches/ 86 cm

h437 inches/ 94 cm

h4fitted

h4hip

h437 inches/ 94 cm

h439 inches/ 99 cm

h441 inches/ 104 cm

h443 inches/ 109 cm

h446 inches/ 1

h44cm extra from body

WASHCARE

All garments have been washed several times during the printing/dyeing and manufacturing process.  

CARE for 100% cotton

We recommend cold water machine wash (up to 30 degrees celsius) with a bio detergent and either tumble dry on low heat or line dry in shade for all of our 100% cotton garments/homewares (except for quilts).  

Iron on reverse side of garment following fabric settings.  

Do not use bleach or stain remover.

Cold water wash and low heat drying or line drying in the shade will increase the life of the garment, prolong the vibrancy of the colors and reduce energy use. Shrinkage on all cottons is minimal, approximately 3%.

Garments/homewares are dyed or printed using AZO free, low-impact, pigment or reactive dyes unless otherwise noted.  These dyes are color-fast, but care should still be taken to wash with like colors to retain the vibrancy of the colors.

CARE for 100% cotton quilts

For quilts with cotton fill, we recommend spot or light surface cleaning only with a damp cloth and mild detergent.  Eco-friendly dry cleaning is also recommended. 

CARE for herbal/vegetable dye items

Vegetable dyes are not colorfast and are specifically marked in the product description.  We strongly recommend that all vegetable dye products be washed once before use in a cold water wash with minimal detergent.  Wash separately. Tumble dry on low heat or line dry in shade.  Iron on reverse side.  Do not use bleach or stain remover.

Please keep in mind that indigo dye does continually fade over time.  This is the nature of true indigo dye and is not a defect, but rather a sign of the 'living' nature of the dye.

CARE for silk and cotton/silk

For our silk and cotton silk garments/homewares, we also recommend gentle cycle machine wash cold water (up to 30 degrees celsius) or delicate hand washing to increase the life of the garment and reduce the environmental footprint from energy use, detergents and water wastage.  

Tumble dry on low heat or line dry in shade.  

Iron on reverse side of garment following fabric settings.

Do not use bleach or stain remover.

Dry cleaning using an eco-friendly service is also recommended.

CARE for linen and cotton/linen

For our linen and cotton linen garments/homewares, we also recommend gentle cycle machine wash cold water (up to 30 degrees celsius) or delicate hand washing to increase the life of the garment and reduce the environmental footprint from energy use, detergents and water wastage.  

Tumble dry on low heat or line dry in shade.  

Iron on reverse side of garment following fabric settings.

Do not use bleach or stain remover.