ABOUT
Baliza is a sustainable fashion brand that takes inspiration from the exotic cultures and colours of Bali and Ibiza. Their designs are handmade in Jaipur at Ladli, the vocational training arm of NGO I-India. The charity provides homeless women and children shelter, education, training and employment. They make their collections using traditional techniques like block printing, sewing and silk screen printing. To date, Baliza provides work for over 300 female artisans and 90 young adults.
IMPACT
People
Ethical production is at the heart of this wonderful label. Every artisan that works on Baliza’s collections receives a salary three times higher than that of local factory workers. This is in addition to education for their children, medical care and financial education.
Product
Baliza sources their fabrics locally in Jaipur, supporting local community partners. They also design their prints in house, which take inspiration from various trends and cultures. Artisans and Gudri women then bring the collections to life through traditional skills like block printing and sewing.
Packaging
Baliza still uses plastic packaging to keep designs safe in transit from India to Singapore. However, this is something they’re working towards finding a long term solution for.
Planet
Conscious of their environmental impact, Baliza uses herbal dyes to reduce toxin release in its supply chain. However, they switched from regular cotton to organic cotton in 2018, and the fabric is sourced from India-based Aura Herbal Textiles to reduce their carbon footprint. Also, they turn fabric offcuts into reusable garment bags and headbands to minimise waste.
Principles
Baliza was founded in 2012 by Spanish entrepreneur Gema Santander. She started her sustainable fashion brand with the specific social goal of improving the lives of the community at Ladli. Thus, their motivation for doing what they do is to support and create opportunities for the artisans and their families.