WomenWeave was founded by Sally Holkar, who graduated in political science from Stanford University before moving to India from the US in 1966 . She then married Richard Holkar, the son of the erstwhile Holkar Maharaja of Indore. From 1978 onwards, Holkar dedicated her life to helping the weavers of Maheshwar. She did this as co-founder of Rewa, which to this day provides vital employment for the weaving community. In 2003, based on many years of work with weavers in the local community, Sally founded WomenWeave. In doing so, Sally connected the threads of Maheshwar’s history and intangible cultural heritage with sustainable employment for local women today.
All steps involved in creating the final product are done by hand. Utilising skills of artisans involved, makes each piece, one of a kind.
Improving livelihoods of marginalised communities who have suffered the most with the advent of fast fashion, either through artisanal collaborations or simply giving enough back.
Low or minimal use of power, hence reducing their carbon emissions. These brands have opted for slower yet more expensive greener methods of production.
WomenWeave was established in 2002 with the vision to help local women lead better lives by ensuring that handloom weaving became a profitable, sustainable, fulfilling and dignified form of livelihood for them.