For five years, Ethnotek has partnered with artisans all over the world, and this year they’re celebrating with the launch of a Kickstarter campaign on August 24th, 2016 for a brand new lifestyle backpack called the Premji.
In the Kutch district of the Gujarat state in Western India – an area known for its rich culture of handcrafted textiles – a weaver named Premji was faced with the same difficult decision that many artisans confront all over the world: use his skills and expertise to continue the traditional family weaving business, or leave the village to find work elsewhere. His friend Shamji, a master weaver and community leader, helped make a hard decision a bit easier. Shamji told Premji about one of his customers, Ethnotek, who was placing enough consistent fabric orders to guarantee 8 months of weaving work per year. Shamji also said he would backfill work for extra meters so that Premji could have year round employment as a weaver. Needless to say, Premji accepted Shamji’s offer, stayed in the village to continue the art of handloom weaving, and has been Ethnotek’s longest standing weaver to date.
Ethnotek is proud to be part of this chain of supply and demand. Their loyal tribe of customers are a whole new market for local artisans like Premji and are a source of sustained demand for their products. Ethnotek isn’t a charity; rather, it relies on entrepreneurialism and commerce to keep artisans in business and their cultures alive.
For five years, Ethnotek has partnered with artisans like Premji all over the world, and this year they’re celebrating with the launch of a Kickstarter campaign and a brand new lifestyle pack called you guessed it, the Premji.
The Premji Pack seamlessly transitions between work and play. It features double-sided straps for fastening items such as a jacket, skateboard, yoga mat, or camera tripod, and has an internal back wall slip pocket with an elasticated top edge for magazines and documents or a 13″ or 15” laptop computer. This pack is as comfortable sitting next to you on the subway as it is spending a night under the stars.
Similar to other Ethnotek backpacks, Premji’s lightweight (1.5 lbs) and streamlined form, has a legitimate carrying capacity (20L) and is well-suited to just about any daily adventure. Premji combines water-repellent exterior fabric that is made from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles, and artisan-made textiles. The Premji is practical, functional & versatile, socially responsible & eco-friendly. When you carry an Ethnotek pack, you’re not just shouldering a bag but rather joining a global movement to keep culture alive.
Ethnotek is offering a wide variety of Kickstarter rewards including deals on the first round production Premji Pack, multiple bag offers, bundles with their brand alliances and even an international sourcing trip to meet the artisans themselves. Visit their campaign page on August 24th, 2016 to back their project here.
