AVANI
About
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Avani is a social enterprise based in the Himalayan foothills in Northern India. It creates contemporary textile products using traditional skills, natural dyes and natural materials like wool, silk and linen. Avani focuses on capacity building in rural communities, and on creating opportunities for women and families to make sustainable contributions to their villages. They are devoted to generating income for local people using only local skills and local, environmentally friendly materials. Avani’s primary focus is on sustainably harvested and produced tints, dyes, textiles and garments. Avani works with over 108 villages, most of which are very remote, ranging from 30 minutes to four hours walking distance from the nearest road.
Product and Design
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Avani has been working extensively with the preservation and revival of the traditional craft of weaving, spinning and natural dyeing. They aim to create contemporary products using traditional skills and materials like wool, silk and pashmina while introducing new color palettes and new materials like linen. Finding sustainable solutions for production is of primary importance for Avani. They have implemented systems to conserve water, use solar energy to heat water, power spinning wheels and irons in villages without electricity.
Avani has revived the skill of natural dyeing and developed a broad color palette with research on more than fifty local plants. These dye materials are not only used for textile dyeing but also for producing colorants for use in different applications. These eco friendly, plant based colorants can be used in textile industry, cosmetics, art supplies and pharmaceuticals.
Impact
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Avani works directly with 108 villages, benefiting 4,540 people and indirectly impacting 22,700 people through its various projects and activities.
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85% of the participants in the programs are women
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Avani has six field centers enabling programs to reach even the most remote villages