For the 50-something Minakshi Jhawar, the responsibilities of her household always won over her desire to start her business.

Floral

So when her kids moved out of the house and became independent, she found a window of opportunity to realise her dream.

She started Ekatra — a woman-led business and a sustainable lifestyle brand that empowers other homemakers to earn a living.

Green Curved Line

Under its Second Life Project, the brand has recycled 1,35,000 metres of fabric and turned it into handmade products such as bags, journals, diaries, etc.

Green Curved Line

Co-founded with her daughter Aishwariya, the idea of the brand came to her when she was studying in Bengaluru.

Green Curved Line

“For my thesis, I was working in Bidar in Karnataka, and it dawned on me that there are so many homemakers who have talents but no outlet. I also worked on several projects in Uttarakhand and Ladakh and noticed the same pattern,” says Aishwariya.

Floral

She saw a similar pattern in her mother and grandmother wasting talents. “I wanted to make something using the available skill sets in homemakers,” she adds. “Initially, I would make products such as journals and stick up pamphlets in college. Ekatra found its footing in 2019 when Fabindia spotted us and gave us a huge bulk order. My mother then contacted homemakers from around Kota to help us,” she says.

The duo has not looked back since. “We use bamboo and banana leaf paper for our products. We source them from Jaipur and Bangalore,” Aishwariya says.

They give homemakers a one-week training based on their existing skill set. “After they are induced, they can take raw materials with them and bring them back once the products are made,” she says.

The mother-daughter duo has employed 363 homemakers from Rajasthan directly and with the help of self-help groups.

The brand sells products ranging from journals, pouches, bags, keychains, and gift hampers through its website, Amazon, Etsy and 26 stores across India.

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