The theme for this summer is giving back. Whether you’re clearing out your old wardrobe to donate, or finding brands with quality standards and morals, making a difference is becoming quite the trend—and a great one at that.
Newest on our fashion radar is a brand that exemplifies what it means to truly give back. Bloom & Give is a uniquely timeless fashion brand that uses traditional Indian artistry and techniques in their fully handmade products. However, showcasing these centuries-old fashion techniques isn’t the only way this brand gives back. Bloom & Give was founded on the idea that girls deserve to go to school to get an education and better their lives. The brand gives 50 percent of its profits to support girls’ education programs in India. Talk about giving back!
Co-founder of Bloom & Give, Madhu Rajendran, told us that Bloom & Give was inspired by two missions: to showcase the timeless textile artistry of India and to fight gender inequality by sending girls to school. Both Rajendran and other co-founder Partha Raghunathan were born in India and have daughters of their own who inspired them to start the business.
Their website states, “Each day, we watch [our daughters] develop confidence, learn new skills, and become self-reliant by going to school. They validate our deep-rooted belief that education is a fundamental right for every girl—no matter where in the world she lives.”
Rajendran told us that when a girl goes to school, she changes her life by earning more money and eventually having healthier children, which results in reinvesting more of herself into her family and thus changes the lives of the generations to come.
Bloom & Give’s profits go toward grassroots programs to change “centuries-old deep-rooted traditional beliefs” as well as toward targeted programs that focus on indigenous tribes, married adolescents, and girls with special needs. All of these programs often have immediate impacts on enrollment, Rajendran says.
Aside from supporting a great cause, Bloom & Give’s products are to die for. Using unique weaving, dyeing, and sewing techniques—like block printing from hundreds of years ago—the brand is able to produce handcrafted scarves, bags, kitchen linens, and tabletop napkins that are perfect for everyday life.
We strongly believe that consumers are spending more and more time understanding what they buy and who they buy from.
“We are in love with the beauty and simplicity of handmade goods,” Rajendran says. “We are preserving centuries worth of heritage through our support of these makers. We approach our designs and the pricing of accessories with the idea in mind that our consumer can enjoy them every day, at work, home, travel, etc., because they are not occasion-specific.”
Bloom & Give only works with natural yarn to ensure that their designs are quality made, neutral, and approachable with subtle accents. All products are handcrafted by artisans in India and Bloom & Give makes their products and their price points very accessible to all customers.
“We strongly believe that consumers are spending more and more time understanding what they buy and who they buy from,” Rajendran says. “There is also an increasing pool of people who care about brands that give back.”
Rajendran also told us that what makes Bloom & Give really stand out, aside from their large give-back and cultural values, is their products that each have the ability to stand on their own. He even spoke about their future plans to introduce a range of “textile centric” products for their “Her and Her Home” collection.
Rajendran’s favorite piece from the brand is the Malabar Cotton Scarf, which is incredibly beautiful if we may say so. Aside from being their best seller, the scarf’s breathable fabric and striped design has a near zero ecological footprint.
“They are handcrafted on old wooden looms in South India where I grew up,” Rajendran says. “It feels great to bring pieces of your heritage for the world to discover.”
From traditional artistry paired with modern design and accessible price points, to sending girls to school and making great gifts—especially for those who care about brands that have a social impact—Bloom & Give is changing the world one handmade product at a time.
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How Bloom & Give is Paying it Forward: Photographs courtesy of Bloom & Give
