Go Solar, Go Sewing

LondonVandanamu Ethical Cottons

£1,027

Raised of £4,990 GBP

Fundraising ended on Jul 16, 2013
15 supporters
20%%

About This Project

 

Who are we?


Vandanamu Ethical Cottons is a small social enterprise based in the UK. We source orders for cotton bags from discerning customers in the UK and have them produced at our sewing unit in India. Our unit provides employment to women
from a long-marginalised community in South India.






We are 99% Smiles, 1% Sweat, 100% Cotton.


Great. Tell us a bit more.



We produce bulk orders of bespoke cotton bags bearing the client's logos and designs. The bags are printed by hand by our printer and sewn by the women at our unit. The bags are exported to UK.


We are a small UK-based team who manage the unit remotely. Typically, our client-base tends to be more conscientious and one which does not mind paying a premium to ensure and uphold its ethical origins.


 


What's the issue?


Every day our sewing unit suffers 12-14 hour power cuts. As a result of which productivity is affected. Our turn around time is slower and we lose out on urgent, large orders. All of this makes sustaining our sewing unit very
difficult, this also has a knock-on effect on the women's livelihoods.



What's the solution?



We have researched solar power as an alternative and have found that this is the most viable option for us. South-eastern region of India where our unit is located, has over 300 days of sunshine annually and solar power is the ideal long-term sustainable renewable
energy source. With 2 KW solar photo-voltaic panels, we will be able to go off grid and generate enough electricity to power 20 sewing machines which will expand our capacity exponentially.




We will be able to take on larger orders for cotton bags, complete them quicker and ensure that everyone gets paid more. 


We are also hoping that we can scale up and replicate this model elsewhere in other needy communities so our social impact is greater.




When do we plan to do this?



The best time for us to install the solar panels would be December 2013. The monsoons will be over and we will have had enough lead time to have done all the prep work ahead of installation.







Use Of Funds

£4,990 Tipping Point Goal

When we reach our tipping point, we will be able to install install solar panels so we can use green
energy to power 20 sewing machines!





More power to the women we work with. That's not all, we will also be completely off grid!





When we reach out full target total, it allows us to explore possibilities of working with other fairly trading producer groups in the area. 


 


 


£6,600 Stretch Goal


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Rewards

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£10.00

We would like to say a big thank you message on Vandanamu website, social media and your name being read out by the beneficiaries at the sewing unit in the follow up video

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£20.00

In appreciation of your generosity, we would like to send you a handwritten thank you post card and a mention on social media and in the follow up video.

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£40.00

To acknowledge your kind donation, we would like to send you a little pouch, handy for carrying trinkets, a handwritten thank you card and rest of the above.

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£100.00

For your kind gesture, we would like to send you a handmade sunglasses pouch and all of the above.

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£250.00

To thank you for your support, we would like to offer you a personalised, handmade, fabric yoga mat bag and all of the above.

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£500.00

To show our gratitude for your contribution, we would like to send you a personalised, handmade fabric tote bag and all of the above.

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£1,000.00

In recognition of your generous donation, we would like to send you a personalised, handmade fabric kindle/ipad holder and all of the above.

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£2,000.00

To thank you for your invaluable kindness, we would like to offer you 2 personalised fabric kindle/ipad holders, an invitation to join us in January for the inaugural ceremony at our sewing unit and 50 cotton bags handsewn and screen printed with your choice of logo.

2 left

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£5,000.00

We are very touched by your magnanimity and as a mark of our gratitude, would like to offer our assistance and our time in helping an emerging social enterprise of your choice gain from our experience. We would also like to invite you to our inaugural ceremony in January 2014 and the rest of the gifts mentioned above.

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