Ethos

PASSION.
COMMITMENT.
STYLE.

Committed to ethical and sustainable approaches which support local artisans and help revive age-old practices, we focus on protecting and promoting traditional hand techniques used in the production of authentic cashmere shawls.

By only using the finest sustainably-sourced cashmere from local weavers and craft-clusters in the Valley of Kashmir, we protect the purity of this ancient craft and the livelihoods of our Kashmiri artisans.

Recent decades have seen an exponential increase in the proliferation of fake, machine-made shawls, which are all too often passed off as authentic pashmina products, hand-made in Kashmir. This trend not only tarnishes the illustrious image of the authentic Kashmir shawl, but also threatens the livelihoods of thousands of local artisans.

Committed to improving working conditions

Me & K is committed to improving working conditions in its production and supply chains. We are a socially responsible, family-run business, working with highly-skilled artisans who carry out intricate work by hand – including spinning, weaving and embroidery -in small, family-run workshops in and around Srinagar. Our relationship with these artisans, built over generations, is based on mutual respect and trust. It is our support the revival of Kashmir’s centuries-old reputation for exquisite hand-crafted cashmere by helping to ensure that these skills continue to be passed on to the next generation. This can only be done by working towards an overall improvement in the pay and working conditions in the shawl industry in Kashmir, thereby making the profession a more appealing employment option for generations to come.

One way we are doing this has been by encouraging more women back into the industry. In 2021, we set up a Training Centre in Srinagar to help train and upgrade skills of female artisans, particularly in the craft of hand-spinning, which was traditionally done by women. The introduction of a newly designed spinning wheel (charkha), which is more comfortable and easier to use, has been a great success, not only increasing individual women’s productivity but also doubling their income. You can find out more about this exciting initiative in the video clip above.

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