50% of our profits of the Srilanka shirts, are dedicated to a fund designed to address unforeseen challenges, ensuring financial stability for the future.
Manjula and Wagira, alongside Gunaratne (Wagira's husband), run a tailor shop in Sri Lanka. Over time, I’ve come to see Manjula's incredible talent. Her ability to translate a mere picture into perfectly tailored clothing, after a quick measurement, is extraordinary. Their dedication has endeared them to me, placing them close to my heart.
Despite their remarkable skills, Manjula and Wagira struggle with time management and find it difficult to decline customer requests, reflecting their unwavering loyalty. This often results in an intense workload.
Unfortunately, during their busy season, both sustained injuries, leaving them unable to work and without income. This situation inspired the idea of creating and selling shirts once they were able to work again, providing them with a financial cushion. This venture fostered a close friendship as we spent time together in their home, shared meals, and communicated through hand gestures and Google Translate.
We began assisting them with budgeting and managing expenses, helping them elevate their business. Our discussions covered pricing strategies, understanding the value of their work, and planning for the future to avoid burnout and better manage their workload in subsequent seasons.
Fabrics
Most of the fabrics are sourced from local markets. These fabrics often originate from remnants or surplus stock from factories in Bangladesh, India, or Vietnam, making it challenging to ascertain their exact origins or compositions.
The shirt fabrics are primarily obtained from these market remnants, which means their precise origin and composition are often unknown.
In contrast, the handloom fabric is produced in Sri Lanka using cotton yarn from India. This fabric is crafted without electricity, predominantly by women, through an ancient method of weaving. The labor-intensive nature of this traditional technique results in a higher cost compared to more mechanized production processes.
Our tailors carefully select and source the fabric, dedicating about 1.5 hours to creating each shirt with meticulous attention to detail and quality. Alongside focusing on sustainable materials and dyeing processes, we ensure that the tailors receive fair wages, providing them with a sustainable livelihood.
With a conscious mind, understand what you are paying for and determine what you are willing to pay at what cost.
