More than Money
Jaded with her job in corporate Japan, Club Member Chiaki Takesako Shahani set out in pursuit of a life that would “feed her soul.”
I worked for seven years as a copywriter at a big advertising agency. One time, I was really struggling with the copywriting [for one product]. Finally, I did it, but my spirit was empty. I realized it wasn’t what I believed in.
In 2010, I had just met my [husband] who introduced me to India. I saw the opposite world from my previous industry. I saw people at the bottom and people working in the fair trade sector. I decided to devote [my skills] to a more meaningful business.
I was wondering what I could do and I [read] about ethical fashion…which wasn’t in Japan much yet. Ethical fashion [embraces] eco-friendly, socially supportive and fair trade [ideas]. The important things are to pay workers fairly and to make a sustainable business opportunity. Without these two aspects, it’s very difficult to call it an ethical business.
I have really liked garments and textiles since I was a child, so I decided to start a business. I wasn’t so familiar with Indian garments, so I had to see people working first and [decide] how I could update that traditional, cultural garment for the Japanese market.
The fair trade association in Kolkata was kind enough to show me how they worked and the products they made. To be honest, I thought it would be difficult to sell in Japan because the design was a little bit old-fashioned, the color was a little too vivid for Japanese and the fabric wasn’t so strong. Many aspects I had to modernize and improve with the producers.
After the first visit, I had no idea how I could be successful with this business. I started with one product: a recycled sari, organic cotton tote bag, with an animal motif in the center. The first test sample was [terrible]. I thought I wouldn’t buy it for even ¥10. I slowly and surely improved the stitching and made lots of spec sheets for the producers and a checklist to [ensure] fine stitching.
It took a year to establish good relations with the producers working in the villages. Finally, after the fourth or fifth sample product, I thought I could sell it to customers in Japan. I ordered a few, but they didn’t sell at all. I thought I needed more variety. After a while, and I don’t know why, they started to sell. After I explained the story behind the business, customers became curious.
Ethical fashion is also about preserving traditional crafts, so I wanted to preserve traditional crafts as much as possible, and I [discovered] Kantha embroidery, which is a very beautiful and unique technique.
Business is now going very well, and I have about 30 different products. We started a “waste-to-wealth” project with a weavers’ studio in Kolkata, and they make absolutely beautiful handcrafted garments. Of course, they have some leftover fabrics, and I decided to make a kind of patchwork tote bag with those fabrics.
I feel like I’m living again. Through this business, I have become confident about what I’m doing and learned about entrepreneurial spirit.
As told to INTOUCH’s Nick Jones.
