Here are the Murbad ladies who are turning scraps into chic clutches

What does a precision engineering firm have to do with shoulder bags and home deacutecor items When the firm also makes Tshirts and other garments thatrsquos the logical endpoint of its castoffsThe Technocraft Group predominantly drum closure and scaffolding makers not only upcycles fabric leftovers into useful woven items it has in the process also a created a safe haven for women employees in its manufacturing unit in MurbadGayatri was able to plan for her second child which she is now expecting due to flexibility and financial freedom the job broughtPart of the Shanti Seva Nidhi Trust Technocraftrsquos Corporate Social Responsibility CSR initiative Project 1000 project1000orgin launched in 2019 has turned Technocraftrsquos fabric scraps into a cheerful colourful womenartisandriven businessThe safe haven that has been created for women artisans is something Project 1000rsquos Project Director Ritu Saraf is extremely proud of ldquoThe area we are based in Murbad is mostly an agrarian economy and there is a great need for seasonal jobs So we do have people who might come and go but we also have a permanent staff of around 25 peoplerdquo says SarafAshok Pathak right who went from being a chauffeur to the sales manager with the Saraf family and Project 1000The leftover and processed fabric is crocheted and knotted into macrame by these women ldquoWe give them two monthsrsquo training if they come on board as artisans with us If people want to pursue this as a hobby we do charge like a class which too goes back into Project 1000rdquo she addsThe products range from fashion items like shoulder bags and clutches to rugs and mats for home decor One look at the products and one wouldnrsquot think that they are made out of scraps from Tshirt production neither does the finish of the product show signs of being handmade ldquoCome and see the products in person the photographs will not do them justice thatrsquos how good my artisans arerdquo Saraf says pride evident in her voice as she speaks to us over the phoneRitu Saraf and Ashok PathakOne of the pillars of Project 1000rsquos allwomen workforce is Gayatri 35 who is expecting her second child in a few months She moved to Murbad with her husband who works as a labourer in the area and did not want to stay at home ldquoWhen they told me about this factory where women can work with handmade fabrics I wanted to come and see for myselfrdquo she says The factory floor and the work being done by the women inspired Gayatri as well ldquoIt was so colourful and I was very inspired by the other women who were working here I could see that they had so much autonomy over their life because they were working hererdquo she saysWork flexibility is one of the key factors that motivates the artisans to put their heart and soul into every weave of the crochet needle and every macrame knot ldquoThe fact that I can go to my village Brahmanpur and not miss work because I can weave from anywhere is the reason I joined mdash and I have no plans to leaverdquo she says She can make products at her own pace and earn up to Rs 15000 and when the family needs are more she ups her production ldquoThen I can earn even Rs 30000 sometimes a little more especially in the upcoming season Monsoon is our off seasonrdquo says Gayatri her voice going soft and shy as she says goodbye to usAnother aspect of flexibility is seen in the story of Ashok Pathak He joined the Saraf family as a chauffeur back in 2021 but his uncanny ability to deal with logistics and interest in looking at products doing market research and envisioning the next level led him to eventually take the reins as operations and field sales manager Pathak is now the face of Project 1000 at exhibitions and its ldquorighthand manrdquo as Saraf describes him ldquoI joined as the familyrsquos chauffeur but eventually they made me feel like familyrdquo says Pathak who lives in Dombivli visiting the office as and when needed ldquoFrom what I can see in the market no one does what we do Whether corporations or individual customers when I tell them that this is all upcycled material handmade by our sisters they are shocked when they see the samplesrdquo he says equally unable to hide his prideSometimes art and women empowerment comes in a shysweet voice like Gayatrirsquos an enthusiastic leader like Saraf and a calm steady hand like Pathakrsquos