One of the most exceptional things (among many) about BAFTS members is the profound relationships they build with artisans, suppliers and communities around the world. There are very few business that exemplify the value of long-standing respect, commitment and friendship across supply chains more so than Emma’s Emporium.
The connections Emma has built over nearly twenty years in Rajasthan are incredible. They are testament to why buying from a brand like Emma’s Emporium is about as close as you can get to buying directly from and supporting an artisan family on the other side of the world.
Emma has just returned from a visit to India. She spent time with the people she counts among her closest friends. It felt like the perfect moment to ask her about those connections and the personal side of a business built on trust, shared values, and nearly two decades of growing up together.
Tell us about who you work with.
I work mainly with one family, the Rankawat family. They are made up of 3 brothers Jitesh, Lalit and Kamlesh; and their wives, their parents, their cousins, and their children – between the three of them their are 8 kids aged between 8-25. I have watched them all grow up!
They run the factory that produces all our clothing. We have developed a deep friendship. Whilst our business’ have grown together, theirs has taken on many more European and export customers.
The factory employs 10+ people on full time daily wage. This includes skilled cutters, low skilled packers and cleaners, and around 20 machinists who are paid by the item. Some women are employed to make items like our recycled sari bunting but they tend to work from home. We have been talking about employing more women. Lalit is keen but being very traditional he wants them to work in a separate room or building to the mail machinists.
Our relationship has always been based on friendship rather than business. I have watched their family grow and evolve, the conversations we have outside work are much deeper. As well as discussing the business, we chat about family, religion, philosophy.
I have taken my daughter and my mum to India to meet them. They have taken me to meet their extended family, where they were born, and other places that are significant to them.
Since you started working together back in 2006, have there been any significant changes?
Initially, we were working with fabrics from local suppliers, but now I meet Lalit in Delhi to source fabrics together. As they have more European and export customers they tend to work to time slots in the factory to keep our designs private and focus on one customer at a time when developing new samples.
My business has been a gradual evolution. Switching to organic cotton for our plain cotton range in 2021 may have been one of the most significant changes for me. It was a huge investment. But my tailors have had many significant changes. They built a large new factory in around 2022. Their children are growing up and now starting to take over the running of the business. The oldest son will take over the business. But the daughters, who are in their early 20’s now, are also working in the factory and studying at the same time. This would never have been considered when I first met them back in 2006!
Picture 1 – Kailash making a Toadstool print cotton shirt. Kailash has been working at the factory for 15+ years. He started working for Lalit & Jitesh shortly after Emma did when they had a handful of machinist sewing garments in the upstairs of their home.
Picture 2 – Raj, cutting pieces for a new skirt design. Raj has been working in the factory for around 5 years. He started doing unskilled jobs but being keen and showing initiative he quickly worked his way up in the factory. Raj was recently trained on the job as cutting master. This is one of the highest positions in the factory holding the most responsibility cutting the patterns and the cloth, and now he has a transferable skill for life.
Picture 3 – Jitesh cutting a pattern for a new sun top. Jitesh is the oldest of the three brothers Emma has been working with since 2006.
What is your favourite thing to do on these trips?
Aside from the many conversations and delicious home cooked meals I have had with Lalit and his family,one of the most memorable moments of this trip was the evening Lalit cooked. He made a traditional Rajasthani turmeric curry cooked outside on an open fire. This was a great occasion and a real meeting of modern and traditional cultural values. A man cooking is not a common occurrence.
One of the things I look forward to most is the food. Aside from family meals, I really love eating stuffed paratha’s with pickle and curd for breakfast. Also attending a yoga class in the mornings before work is wonderful!
Sitting in the sunshine drinking chai with suppliers and escaping uk winters are also things I look forward to.
And fabric shopping! I work mostly with print cotton which is generally bought from the surplus fabric markets in Delhi. I am buying up dead stock from large brands, using someone else’s waste to create something new. It means you never know what you are going to find, which can be really exciting, especially when you find small amounts of incredible prints hidden away at the bottom of the pile.
Tell us about your connection with the Fior de Loto school.
I‘ve always wanted to use the business to return something to the local community. As well as providing fair, safe and stable employment I wanted to help women and girls. Culturally there are not many women employed in the factory. Although attitudes are slowly shifting this is something I have to be sensitive towards.
The Fior di Loto School is very well know and highly regarded in the town. I first visited in 2020. It was clear they were making a significant difference to the lives of women and girls in the area, and having an impact on broader cultural values around the role of women in society.
I sponsor Radhika, she was around 5 years old when first met at the school. She had recently arrived and needed a sponsor to cover her school expenses. Every year the school sends me her school report, a letter from her and a photo. It seems she is enjoying her studies and is very creative! She will finish school aged 16, but if she wants to continue on to go to college and beyond Emma’s Emporium will continue to sponsor her.
Beyond fair prices, what does genuine partnership with producers look like in practice?
I guess the partnership works because we discuss designs and fabrics and how it will work. We discuss price and I agree to what they need to ensure everyone in the production line is paid fairly. But if we can’t find a price that meets their needs and allows for a saleable price point in the UK we discuss alternative options. By breaking down the costs such as pockets, zips, extra details we can come up with a design that doesn’t compromise on quality and ensures they are paid a fair wage. But also has to allow me to produce garments that are affordable to your average person in the UK.
I don’t want fair trade fashion to be exclusive. Whilst I feel clothing should reflect the costs of production, and people should buy less but buy better, I also want the clothing to be bright, bold, fun, and accessible for most peoples budgets.
They made a one off donation to the organisation paying for a month’s food parcel for the school to provide a hot cooked meal for up to 80 children daily. Now they are looking into setting up an annual visit and donation.
It is these relationships, which extend far beyond the factory, that make these brands so important and the BAFTS network so exceptional.
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