When a woman earns money, she changes everything
“When a woman earns money, she changes everything,” echoes the words of Madhu Vaishnav. And she would know – she started with just $100, five women, and a fierce belief in what was possible. Today, Saheli Women has grown into over 100 women-run ateliers, from a small village in rural Rajasthan to global recognition on the stage of the United Nations in New York. These artisans aren’t just making clothes; redefining what economic empowerment in fashion looks like. I first came across Saheli Women during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, at a panel that spotlighted a hard truth: women make up more than 80% of the global garment workforce, yet they hold barely any power in the decisions that shape their lives. Saheli Women is here to change that narrative. By taking initiatives, like their new nine-month handloom training program, backed by the Fashion Impact Fund, they’re not just creating jobs. They’re building a fashion economy that’s inclusive by design and regenerative by tradition.
At that panel, Empowering Economies: Women’s Role in Sustainable Fashion, hosted by the Fashion Impact Fund, Kerry Bannigan, Co-Founder of the United Nations Fashion and Lifestyle Network, made it clear; real change starts with women. Saheli Women is a female-led ethical fashion enterprise on a mission to financially liberate women living in rural India. Through its community fashion ateliers, the collective builds on local knowledge, preserves traditional crafts, and creates dignified and sustainable jobs. By providing skills development and meaningful livelihood opportunities, Saheli Women isn’t just producing beautiful garments; they’re investing in a future where women are at the center of economic and social progress.
“When we prioritize funding women-led solutions, we unlock impact that is local, scalable, and deeply rooted in community,” Bannigan tells Envoy.
Madhu Vaishnav doesn’t just talk about empowering women; she’s built an entire ecosystem around it. At Saheli Women, the focus isn’t just on providing jobs, but on creating ripple effects: education for children, better healthcare at home, and a sense of agency that stretches far beyond the atelier. “Whenever we invest in our female workers, they go back and invest in sending their kids to school and giving them better care,” she says. It’s proof that when women thrive, communities do too. Structured as a social enterprise, Saheli Women channels the revenue from its garment production directly into paying fair salaries, covering operational costs, and reinvesting any surplus back into the community. “Artisan collectives embed values of social equity and cultural preservation that will reshape fashion’s purpose,” says Bannigan. “Fashion of the future, I believe, won’t be just about clothes; it will be about community. When you support an artisan group, you’re supporting a whole community’s economic opportunity.” These funds support critical programs focused on skills training, girls’ education, and female health initiatives, creating a powerful, self-sustaining ecosystem of change. As Madhu says, “When women lead, there is an economy of caring and not an economy of destruction. We care about children and family, but also about Mother Earth.”
A key part of the Saheli Women’s model is skills education tailored specifically for the fashion industry. The collective trains rural women not only in garment production but also in preserving their cultural techniques and traditional craftsmanship, blending heritage with contemporary market demands. Vaishnav notes that one of the challenges is adapting traditional artisanship to meet the precise standards of the global fashion market. “Teaching the skills to deliver for the Western market, where everything must be perfect, is one of our missions,” she says. Whether it’s learning universal sizing systems or solving technical design issues, Saheli Women equips its artisans with the tools they need to succeed without compromising the richness of their culture.
When Saheli Women first started, they didn’t have the resources most businesses take for granted; no machinery, no electricity, and no running water. Reaching international markets seemed nearly impossible. Yet founder Madhu Vaishnav credits social media for helping bridge that gap. Without a marketing budget, they shared their journey, including their challenges, with honesty. “We didn’t shy away from posting our failures,” Vaishnav says. “People were supportive because they saw the reality behind the work.” That visibility helped Saheli Women form partnerships with over 20 global fashion brands. Working with the Western market, Vaishnav notes, has been both one of their greatest hurdles and one of their proudest achievements.
Removing barriers to women’s success
At the heart of Saheli Women’s philosophy is the belief that true empowerment means removing the systemic barriers that limit women’s opportunities. The collective supports its artisans with skills development training, transportation assistance, health insurance, on-site childcare, and flexible work schedules. Sponsoring education for workers’ children is another key part of the model. “Women can be a ladder,” Vaishnav reflects, not only lifting themselves but creating a path for others to climb, too. Women in the course express how happy they are to come to work with their babies, proudly stating they can be both mothers and working women. “The women of Saheli operate as a sisterhood, collectively deciding how to support one another; from children’s schooling to health workshops,” says Bannigan.
Empowering women, especially in the fashion supply chain, is not just the right thing to do; it’s essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Women already make up at least 80% of garment industry workers globally. With support from the Fashion Impact Fund through its 2024 Skills Development Programme, they’ve launched a nine-month handloom training program aimed at deepening both economic and cultural impact. Throughout the program, up to 21 women will be trained in every stage of the handloom process, from preparing raw cotton and spinning yarn to mastering complex weaving techniques across varied thread counts.
From handloom and Ikat weavers to natural dyers, Saheli Women works hand-in-hand with artisan communities to ensure that every part of their production process uplifts local talent and remains fully transparent, start to finish. Their model of sustainable fashion isn’t just about what gets made; it’s about how, where, and by whom. By rooting their work in the traditional craft knowledge of rural India, they’ve created a blueprint for fashion as a tool for long-term, systemic change. Bannigan says Saheli Women stands out to her because of their inspiring trajectory and story, as their aim was not just to create products for sale, but to financially empower women while preserving traditional Rajasthani crafts, and they have maintained that mission at every step.
“When it comes to cultural preservation, fashion is like a living museum – except that the exhibits are constantly worn and reinterpreted. Every region has textiles, patterns, and attire that carry deep cultural meaning,” says Bannigan.
Economic freedom
For many Saheli artisans, the skills they’ve acquired have meant more than a paycheck; they’ve unlocked independence. One young artisan, Vaishnav recalls, used her earnings to buy a smartphone so she could finally call her family living abroad. When asked how life had changed, her answer was simple: “Everything changed. Now I can talk to my family.” For women facing domestic violence or limited freedom at home, access to work isn’t just about economic stability; it’s about having options, agency, and a path forward.
Investing in women isn’t just about funding; it’s about trust, leadership, and long-term vision. The Fashion Impact Fund and grassroots initiatives like Saheli Women are showing what happens when that investment goes deeper: women don’t just participate, they lead. Kerry Bannigan, who has spent much of her career championing women’s empowerment in fashion and development, puts it simply: For me, true empowerment means that women have the agency, resources, and voice to shape their own lives and communities. In the context of fashion and global development, this starts with ensuring basic rights and dignity that, frankly, should be a given. We have to remember that the majority of garment workers worldwide are women.” Together, they are helping build a more inclusive, equitable, and environmentally responsible fashion industry.
Saheli Women’s story shows that sustainable fashion isn’t just about fabrics or trends; it’s about investing in people, preserving cultural heritage, and building a more equitable future. Madhu Vaishnav didn’t just build a business; she built a support system that uplifts women, protects heritage, and shows that circularity and community can be central to fashion’s future. As more eyes turn toward purpose-driven fashion, Kerry Bannigan offers a message for the next generation shaping the future of fashion and impact: “Stay true to your mission, keep learning, work with others, and be resilient.”
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