List of products by brand Disha Shekhawati

DISHA is an organization started in 2009 ,it is run entirely by women artisans. Disha's story is inextricably linked with that of the shekhawati in Rajasthan India. Presently Disha is working with 400 women artisan engaged with traditional art called Tie & Dye specialize in Bandhani and Shibori. Disha’s goal is to instill self-confidence and self-esteem in the hearts of women it works with. Disha’s activities include assistance in creating SHGs (Self Help Groups), skills training, promoting children’s education and very importantly conducting awareness workshops on women’s social and legal rights.

The word “bandhani'' comes from the Sanskrit word “bandha” which means, “to tie” and refers to the ancient Indian craft of tie and dye. The tie and dye technique can be done on any material, but the colors are most vibrant when the tying is done on fabric like georgette and silk. Bandhani is an extremely intricate craft, in which the fabric is tied very tightly with thread at several different points, according to the motif that is printed on the fabric using carved wooden blocks. The placement and quantity of the knots, as well as the way the cloth is tied, determines the pattern when the fabric is opened. The artisans use either a long pinky nail that they have grown out or a thimble with a sharp point that is inserted into the fabric at the places where the ties are done. This portion of fabric is then tied and dyed to create the pattern. Shibori is another style of tie and dye, and the word comes from the Japanese word shibori, which means "to wring, squeeze or press." Shibori is a way of embellishing textiles by shaping the cloth and then securing it with threads before dyeing. The fabric can be folded, crumpled, or twisted, all of which give the fabric its own unique look. True shibori and bandhani fabrics cannot be produced by machine, only by hand.The products made by these techniques are running fabric, saree, dupatta and stoles by DISHA’s women artisans.

Through traditional skills, Disha is providing regular and dignified livelihood to vulnerable women. Rajasthan is rich in its culture and history and also boasts the highest education rate in the state. In Spite of this the condition and status of the women remained as deprived and impoverished as those of other areas, due in part to the mass economic migration of menfolk to the Gulf States. While women are left in the village to fend for themselves and their kids. The men usually never return as most of them remarry and settle abroad. Without any source of income these women face a lot of problems. Domestic abuse is another rampant problem in the area. It was for these reasons that the founder of DISHA chose to focus their efforts in this particular region.