On the busy Badrinath Road, at Tapovan in Rishikesh, amid eternally hooting traffic, crowded restaurants, and shops selling adventure sports, chances are that you would miss ‘Stree’, a lifestyle products boutique. As you step into this shop, the fragrance of spices and incense greet your olfactory receptors, and an array of organic and naturally dyed products is a treat to the eyes. Essential oils, dresses, stoles, socks, cardigans, bags, wall hangings, paintings, herbal incenses, pot pourri of herbs and a lot more line the shelves. The products are organic and naturally dyed, using flowers and plant products.
Stree is based on the concept of Ethical Trade and Sustainability. While the concept is not new to India, it is yet to come of age. Ethical or Fair Trade is a global movement aimed towards achieving sustainability, looking specifically at our everyday choices of food and fashion.
In today’s materialistic society where people buy products mindlessly, we are often unmindful of what goes into the production of a good or article. Sometimes the production process is exploitative – underaged children are employed, farmers do not get the minimum price for their products, working conditions are inhuman and so on. Ethical Trade means manufacturers, retailers, brands and their suppliers take responsibility for improving the working conditions of the people who make the products they sell.
Renu Gulati, who runs this store, is a corporate lawyer from the United Kingdom whose love for India and everything Indian – Sanskrit, Ayurveda, Yoga, Gurukul system of education – brought her to India. When she decided to start this store, she had hoped to make it an all-women affair. She had hoped to work with local women facing social discrimination and financial constraints. She had planned to secure their future by training them in different skills so that they could work and lead a life of integrity and dignity. But she soon realised that the family members of these women wanted to use them as the proverbial ‘golden hen’ for freebies of different sorts. And these women succumbed – complying with their filial demands – rather than training and earning their livelihood.
“I felt very let down by these women,” said Renu somberly, staring at her tea, as we chatted. “I truly wanted them to learn some skills and live a life with their head held high. But the issue is of need versus greed. There is enough for everyone’s need but not for their greed,” she noted sadly.
She quoted the Sanskrit shloka, Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitaha, meaning if you do your duty well, nature will also support you. “If these women did their work diligently, nature and higher power would have taken care of their needs,” she sighed.
Our conversation brought home the corroding ethical fabric of our society, which is not simply an issue of morality. No economy can perform at a high level without a basic level of integrity. The pervasive unethical behaviour of the sort that we now see in our country destroys trust. As trust erodes, the cost of doing business will soar, affecting India’s competitiveness and attractiveness as an investment destination.
And while women are more likely to take the ethical route in their daily lives, they are more disadvantaged from the consequences of a corrupt society. It is because they have no decision-making power without the consent of a male relative.
That said, the gritty woman that she is, Renu has continued her journey of giving back to the society and Mother Earth. She started getting her products from ethical and sustainable sources that are eco-friendly, non-discriminatory and safe working conditions are followed. She uses Indian art forms, craft and materials. She also provides employment to many local women, building their capacity and use them for design development, sewing and embroidering. Some volunteers also help her.
Stree is an example of good practices that can be followed in the challenging situations by developing guidance and influencing businesses to act responsibly, ethically and promoting decent work.
This is without doubt a web publication that people need to get behind. The problem is, no one wants to do a huge deal of reading and not have something else to stimulate the mind. This is the world-wide-web, after all. Maybe if you added a video or two to emphasise your point. Ill stick around, FOR SURE. But, I dont know if others will.