FAQ

Answers to our most frequently-asked questions are below. If it’s not covered here, send us a message – we’d love to hear from you!

How should I care for my Shakti.ism products?

Most Shakti.ism products are handmade using upcycled saris and a few are made from natural fabrics like jute or organic cotton. Each item will differ slightly as it is handmade and many of the items are made from repurposed or upcycled fabrics. Some items have minor imperfections, but we think this makes them charming and one-of-a-kind.

Please carefully hand-wash your item in cold water and hang to air dry.

How do Shakti.ism’s products empower disadvantaged women in India (and beyond)?

Every single purchase empowers disadvantaged women by providing dignified employment, a living wage, hope and opportunities for their children. Shakti.ism CIC is a nonprofit social enterprise and all profits are reinvested back into the makers and their communities.

Find out more about Shakti.ism’s makers and how we give back to our communities at https://shaktiism.com/impact/

What does the name Shakti.ism mean?

Shakti | Śakti | शक्ति

Derived from Sanskrit, Shakti refers to the female principle of divine energy. Shakti (शक्ति) also means ‘power’ in Hindi, and several other languages.

Shakti.ism signifies female energy and power being put into action, ‘women’s power-ism’, or women’s empowerment.

What about custom or personalised orders?

We’re always up for a challenge! More information can be found here. Get in touch and let us know what you’re looking for. We’ll see what we can do :-)

Interested in stocking our products or wholesale purchases?

We’d love to hear from you! Send us an email at hello@shaktiism.com. You can find a bit more information about wholesale here.

Do you offer gift wrapping?

We don’t currently offer gift wrapping services, but we do sell upcycled sari gift wrapping cloths! Add a few cloths to your order to create a beautiful (and reusable) unique gift! Or if you prefer to send as a gift, pop a note in the comments + we can remove any pricing and/or add a short gift note for the recipient :-)

Do you offer eco-friendly packaging?

Absolutely! All orders are carefully shipped in 100% recyclable, compostable or biodegradable mailer bags which are a perfect environmentally-friendly alternative to plastic bags! We do our best to minimise our eco-footprint and are committed to doing our part to protect the environment and do business consciously.

The compostable and biodegradable bags contain a degradable additive that starts to break down within weeks. The mailers are designed to be burst-proof, tear-proof, and weatherproof, so you can be sure your order is protected while it’s on its way to you! Find out more info here.

What kind of fabrics do you use to make Shakti.ism products?

We use locally sourced traditional fabrics which would otherwise be thrown away for the products which will be created (for example, upcycling secondhand traditional Indian saris to create bags and other products). We also use 100% GOTS organic cotton, and natural fabrics such as jute.

How much is delivery to my country?

Great question. Check out all the delivery details here.

Where can I find out more?

We’re delighted that you’re interested in learning more about Shakti.ism and the impact your purchase has on disadvantaged women in India (and beyond!).

Please visit our impact page (updated regularly) to learn more or email hello@shaktiism.com if you have a question that isn’t answered here. Thank you!

two artisan women smiling