The Loyal Workshop
The Loyal Workshop is a leather goods producer in Kolkata, India. They provide alternative employment to women trapped in modern-day sexual slavery.
About
The Loyal Workshop was founded to provide an opportunity for freedom. Their quality leather goods are made by women from backgrounds of poverty and abuse.
Each carries her own story of trauma and oppression: sold, stolen, trafficked and forced against her will into the sex trade. Without the prospect of finding alternative employment, they were trapped. The Loyal Workshop exists to provide an alternative.
“Every product we create is part of a woman’s freedom journey.”
Business is a powerful tool that can bring freedom to those trapped in slavery. The Loyal Workshop gives women this tool and many others like:
Health - Health insurance, initial comprehensive medical check-ups, and follow up support from any health issues that arise.
Exit Support - Informal counselling, group therapy, legal advice, debt reconsolidation, spiritual formation, budgeting support, and addiction support.
Education - 6 months of maths, English and Bangla classes. They also work with the artisans to ensure their children are going to and staying in school.
Workers have the opportunity to identify, voice and collectively discuss issues of concern through weekly staff leadership meetings and daily morning gatherings. There is a strong culture of open discussion especially in relation to wages, health and safety, holidays, and other needs.
The Loyal Workshop sells beautiful, well-crafted belts, wallets, bags and more. On their website, you can read about the women artisans who brought these products to life.
100% of The Loyal Workshops profits are reinvested back into the business and the community to enable them to offer freedom to more women.
The leather products created and sold by The Loyal Workshop are made with eco-tanned leather that is produced in Sheong Shi Tannery. There they use a natural recipe (approved by the Fair Trade Association) that replaces the harmful chromiums usually included in the tanning process. Sheong Shi Tannery also collects rainwater to reduce water use and will not employ anyone under 18.
The Loyal Workshop also aims to source their non-leather materials locally, recycle as much as they can and reduce their carbon footprint.
“By doing this we support the local economy, decrease the strain on global resources and keep the supply chain nice and simple.”
When you buy a product from The Loyal Workshop you are supporting the planet, women’s recovery and the end of modern-day slavery.
