Recycled Patchwork Squares Travel Bag

A really special Fair Trade recycled patchwork travel bag, which is made up from intricately decorative patchwork squares, hand stitched together at the front and back.

Each patterned square is different and utilises recycled saris and other Indian fabrics, making every bag unique.

The base of the bag is reinforced and finished with plain black cotton.

At the top, there is a black zip closure.

Inside, there is one large compartment which is fully lined with plain cream cotton.

The black cotton shoulder strap is non adjustable and has a drop of 40 cm from the top of the bag.

This Fair Trade recycled patchwork squares travel bag was carefully handmade  by artisans in India.

Dimensions - width 52 cm  x  height 48 cm  x  depth 10 cm approx.

Please note: the front and back of this bag are particularly delicate, so care must be taken - it is not suitable for heavy use.  We recommend dry clean only.

As these bags are made by hand from materials that are available locally, the designs may differ slightly from the image shown.

Their mission statement has been "to change lives of grass root artisans through education and capacity building so that they may stand on their own feet & become more aware of fair working conditions and environment in order to prove the value & beauty of their hand made products."

Noah`s Ark was set up in response to the exploitation of poor artisans by Samuel Masih in 1986 in one room in his house as an alternative way of trading with local crafts people around his hometown of Moradabad, northern India.
From the beginning, he was determined to ensure that artisans would be provided with the best rates of pay available and with the support to enable them to be freed from the grip of exploitation.

With Samuel’s resourcefulness, the business has prospered: now there are more than 500 artisans working in 49 different artisan groups working for Noah`s Ark and choosing Fair Trade employment to create better opportunities for their families and their communities.

And it is about more than just fair wages. A portion of the profits generated by Noah's Ark provides education classes for 50 local children who do not have the opportunity to go to school in Moradabad.
Each worker is given provision for school expenses, loans for house repairs and healthcare insurance. A social worker is also employed to support the wider needs of the employees and their families and communities.
They are members of WFTO and Fair Trade Forum India.

Our beautiful embroidered cross body bag was hand crafted by Noah`s Ark artisans.  You can read more and see a picture of Noah`s Ark artisans in our Fair Trade Producers section.