Mission by Design

By Adele, MarketPlace designer Women are the soul of MarketPlace. Our mission to empower women is why we exist, and it is embedded in everything we do. Employment, business development, education, social programs, and connection to a global audience are critical components of that mission.  The design process, like everything else, starts and ends with

Chindi Necklace

India has a long tradition of recycling used fabrics.  Old saris and lungis are sewn together into quilts or cut and combined to produce patchwork pieces for decorations or clothing.  MarketPlace continues this tradition by upcycling our beautiful fabric scraps, called “chindi.”  By one industry estimate, 15% of the fabric used for clothing ends up

The Mohina Tunic

Traditional batik hand block printing is done with a wooden block hand carved on one side with a pattern.  The block is first dipped in wax and then stamped onto the fabric.  The cloth is dyed and then submerged in hot water to remove the wax and reveal the design.  The artisans have experimented with

The Patna Dress

Because our mission is to work with women who are not able to find work elsewhere, we have developed a number of strategies to get them earning quickly.  Most women are taught from an early age to sew, mending clothing and recycling old clothes into quilts.  We build on that ability by introducing them to

The Sikkim Jacket

Hand embroidery on MarketPlace garments is an important factor in enabling women to work and earn a living.  Because they are also responsible for running their households, including shopping for food, cooking, cleaning, and childcare, they need to be able to work from home.  Embroidery work can be fitted in around their other obligations. It