Here is some information about the people and communities behind the wonderful Indian Feather products.

FELT PRODUCTS

Our beautiful, colourful felt range from Nepal include a snuggle blanket, toy bunny, mobile and an adorable baby book. These products are made from 100% wool felt and are hand made in Nepal by local women giving them an income and a chance to continue a tradition that has been a way of life for many generations.

This company in Nepal started their business at the beginning of 2000.
In the remote Himalayan villages in Nepal, felt has been produced since early times, primarily produced to insulate their homes from the extreme cold Himalayan weather it later evolved to other uses.
Felt is not just a fibre but a tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation. This company has been successful in continuing the skills of centuries old master craftsmen.
The company is free of child labour and provides employment to more than 30 people mostly woman and widows from underprivileged communities. This has brought a ray of hope into the lives of these people for whom felt making is a way of life and a way to support their families.

THAI FISHERMAN'S PANTS

These beautiful baby fisherman’s pants are made in a small village in Thailand by local villagers using traditional methods.
The cotton is locally grown without the use of pesticides in conjunction with a local university project helping to increase ‘green’ awareness and support local textile production.
The cotton is coloured using various local plants such as bark for the brown pants, and local flowers and berries for the purple and orange pants.
These groovy pants are also perfect for use over cloth nappies as opposed to a lot of baby clothes which don’t fit a large cloth bottom!

KNITTED TOYS

Rural women in Kenya have very few opportunities for employment,  and the domestic burden is almost always left to them.  This may comprise of fetching and carrying water and firewood from many kilometers away, caring for the small but essential vegetable garden and looking after not only their own  children but also the children of relatives too ill or  otherwise incapable of caring for them. Women may also end up taking care of elderly parents and in-laws no longer  capable of carrying out necessary daily tasks. All of  this means that most rural women in Kenya have very little  time for themselves and they certainly have no independence  outside the home.

The traditional Kenyan set-up is for the husband to work  and the woman to stay at home and do the domestic chores . It is up to the man to provide enough income for  all of the family medical bills, food and for the books  and uniforms required by his children for school (although  primary education is now free in Kenya, the parents must  still buy all of the equipment and clothing needed). In  truth, a single income is rarely sufficient, and it is  the wife and children who suffer as a result.

Kenana Knitters  provides a safe working environment away from the demands  of domestic life. Babies and toddlers are welcome so women who would normally be working at home can also  join the group. The group also provides a number of facilities  and services for the women: lunch is cooked every day and is free for all women present. A series of health clinics is run covering everything from HIV/AIDS to Family Planning and homeopathy.  Kenana Knitters recently introduced a new monthly counseling service. These clinics serve not only to treat the women but also to    educate them so that the women are well informed and more able to look after themselves and their families. There is a small (but rapidly growing) library available for the women to access containing mostly books on important subjects such as nutrition and healthy eating. The group also offers daily adult literacy classes and has initiated a monthly counseling facility. Free computer lessons are also popular!

The group works on a piece-rate basis. This allows the women to work at their own pace, and they are paid accordingly. It  also allows for flexibility and the women can work at home or at the workshop depending on the other pressures on their time. Most importantly, Kenana Knitters gives rural women in Kenya  the independence of an independent income, and savings accounts at the Knitters means that the women don't have to hand  over all of their money to their husbands but can save it for important purchases and the occasional treat. Kenana Knitters provides the option for women to gain some independence and supplement the family income.

WOODEN TOYS

Our beautifully hand crafted wooden toys, are made in Korea from a socially responsible company committed to contributing to an eco friendly society.  Made from wood  (supporting sustainable farming practices) and finished with linseed oil, these toys are not only beautiful works of art, but are natural and safe for your children. A percentage of the companies profits are donated to planting more trees. All of the toys are 100% recyclable aswell!