I was a Sari is a recycled fashion brand managed by Indian creative textile manufacturer 2nd Innings Handicrafts. The Mumbai-based social enterprise trains and hires women to upcycle old saris, a traditional garment worn by women in India, Bangladesh and other South Asian countries, into apparel and handcrafted accessories.
I was a Sari targets women from India’s low-income and rural communities, offering fair wages and employee benefits.
“We believe that discarded materials and overlooked communities both deserve a second chance,” said 2nd Innings’ Stefano Funari. “Through our brand I was a Sari, we’ve spent a decade building dignified livelihoods for marginalized women, growing organically to prove that social business can be both impactful and resilient.”
Handworker economy
Upaya’s investment will support I was a Sari’s growth, including workforce development for its women artisans to increase production capacity. Women make up more than 80% of India’s seven million artisans workforce, most of whom face challenges around fair wages and market and education access.
“I was a Sari embodies the kind of innovation we strive to back, where impact and inclusion are central to the business model,” said Upaya’s Ankur Mehta. I was a Sari was a circular innovation cohort participant in Upaya’s Dignified Jobs Accelerator this year.
