Eco Kargha

Industry: Textiles
Headquarters: Bhagalpur, Bihar
Partner Since: October 2012
Jobs Created: 112

Working in the slums around Bhagalpur in Bihar, Eco Kargha is a Tasar silk fabric production company that employs traditional weavers and embroiderers to produce modern silk products that will be sold by well-known retailers. Most of the weavers Eco Kargha employs qualify as ultra poor - generally living under $1.25 a day at the time of their hire – and over 50% belong to a backward caste, scheduled caste, or minority community. Furthermore, because of the lack of opportunities to earn a living, the Bhagalpur area has seen significant flows of weavers and other artisans migrating to urban areas in search of work.

In partnership with Upaya, entrepreneur Ravi Chandra and the rest of the Eco Kargha management team are building a company that can train marginalized Tasar silk weavers on new skills, techniques, equipment, and designs. The company will then wholesale the finished products including home furnishing goods like cushion covers, throws and drapes, as well as women’s wear like stoles, scarves, and sarees to established retailers throughout India.