Giving Tuesday 2021: Support Nest, Support Fellow Artisans
Image description: Closeup of a woman in a heavily embroidered red robe hand weaving an ikat fabric. The yarns on the loom range from bright red to white to black.
At Pochoir.NYC, we don't want to just support ourselves: we want to support embroiderers all over the world. This Giving Tuesday, we are asking our follows to donate to Nest (link opens in new window), an organization that provides financial and business support to artisans.
The International Labor Organization estimates that around the world, over 300 million people, mostly women, work in handicrafts. The handicraft economy is often informal and can be ripe for exploitation, especially since a lot of these highly skilled artisans work out of their homes to keep costs low and care for their children. Here’s where Nest comes in: they support artisans by certifying that their workshops comply with local labor standards; provide business development resources to individual artisans and workshop owners; and facilitate introductions between companies and artisans. In return, these incredibly skilled workers are able to set their wages to what they feel is fair, gain exposure, and are able to continue their cultural traditions.
One of the most important services that Nest provides is the ability for artisans to preserve their cultural heritage. Despite the fact that, according to Nest, craftworkers provide around $526 billion of global GDP, artisans can be forced into low wage work where they are unable to pass on their knowledge to apprentices and family members. Thanks to the financial support that Nest provides, artisans can preserve their craft and make money while doing so. In the U.S., Nest most recently established an Etsy shop for the Gee’s Bend Quiltmakers and for Gullah basketweavers. In the wake of COVID-19, Nest has begun a program to promote and support specialty manufacturers in New York City’s Garment District, a cause near and dear to my heart. They have also established an emergency COVID-19 fund for their members.
One of the reasons we support Nest is because we are eager to support the work of women artisans ourselves. While we’re not ready to make an announcement yet, we are excited to say that a partnership with an amazing group of talented ladies based in New York is in the works. In the mean time, we are proud to use our platform to shine a light on all of the women business owners that Nest supports around the world. Don’t forget to donate today (link opens in new window).
A teal green graphic includes a photograph of a woman wearing a pink and orange hijab and a saffron orange dress. She is preparing to do embroidery at a wooden table. There is gold Art Deco ornamentation at each corner of the graphic and gold text that reads, “Support artisans this giving Tuesday with Pochoir.NYC”