The Empowerment Bag

The Empowerment Bag is a fair-trade, eco-friendly brand of bags made by women at risk of exploitation in West Bengal, India.
The brand gives back 5% of the sales to New Light, an organization that provides shelter, education, and health to trafficked women and their children.
Truth is that 4.5 million people are forced into sexual exploitation but this functional travel bag enables us to support the cause. Here this collective of women learns the skill set of sewing, reading, and writing.
All bags are stitched from either laminated jute or organic cotton, depending on the style of bag. Jute is a natural fiber that is both durable and recyclable. And the lamination comes from a biodegradable plastic backing. Their cotton is organic, meaning our cotton suppliers use sustainable farming practices that do not rely on damaging chemicals, hormones, or preservatives.
Their manufacturer's screen printing process uses only water-based inks, avoiding harmful petro-chemicals and compounds. They also try to source their bag components locally through ethical partners.

Read more about The Empowerment Bag, made by women at risk of sexual exploitation