Our Workers
BEHIND THE SCENES AT CHAYKRA
Instead of treating factory workers as merely makers of your clothing, we would like to introduce them to you on a personal level. We are proud of the ethical and social values of the factories that we partner with. As part of our brand ethos, chaYkra is committed to bringing consumers closer to the source of their garments. We strongly believe that transparency can be a force for good and help to create a fairer fashion industry.
In keeping with the principles of yoga, we are mindful of responsible production. We will only partner with factories whose certifications ensure that workers are treated well, paid fairly and enjoy a safe and comfortable working environment.
We are passionate about sharing the personal stories of our workers with our customers. Each has a different role to play in the factory and a different story to tell. Your clothes are not made by ‘faceless’ machines but by real people with interesting backgrounds and dreams for the future.
Meet Our Workers
MEET Anup - FINISHING, 'BUTTON AND SNAP' DIVISION
Factory role: Anup works in the ‘Button and Snap’ division of the Finishing Department and enjoys the creative aspects of designing garment attachments. He prides himself on being a team player within the department.
Family life: Anup lives as part of a large joint family and has two sons and a daughter.
Passion points: Anup is a firm believer in the healing properties of yoga, he accredits yoga for helping him relieve the pain in his shoulder. His other hobbies are cooking, eating and going to the theatre.
Dreams for the future: Anup would love to have his own button company and take independent contract orders. He can also imagine himself working in agriculture and would like to have his own farm. However his dreams are secondary to those that he has for his children, as he is determined to set them up for success in life.
MEET Dilip - PRINTING
Factory role: Dilip works in the printing department as the Head of Sampling. He loves combining different colours to create the unique shades needed for each specific print. He also finds the intricacy of the printing process highly rewarding, as the accuracy and finish of the final product reflects his effort. But equally Dilip loves to joke around with his colleagues, including his younger brother who also works in the printing department!
Family life: Dilip stays in a large joint family of 15 people. Both of his daughters are at college, whilst his son is still in school. A favourite family activity is visiting the circus.
Passion points: In his spare time, Dilip enjoys playing football and watching matches on television. He also practises yoga regularly and goes for morning walks. Dilip feels that by keeping physically fit he is immune to a number of diseases and is less likely to become tired at work.
Dreams for the future: Aside from working at the factory, Dilip owns lots of agriculture land and enjoys working there too, as his eventual dream is to become a farmer.
MEET Jagdish - FABRIC STORE
Factory role: Jagdish works in the fabric department and oversees the distribution of fabrics. His favourite aspect of working in the factory is the support and training provided by managers.
Family life: Jagdish lives as part of a joint family with his parents, three brothers, three sister in laws and their children. One of his nephews also works in the same factory for the cutting department.
Passion points: He enjoys watching television, visiting local attractions with his friends and going for morning runs. Interestingly, Jagdish reads the dictionary in his spare time in order to learn new words!
Dreams for the future: Jagdish has plans to get married, build his own house and own agricultural land.
MEET Minati - EMBROIDERY
Factory role: She works in the embroidery department where she is responsible for tidying up loose threads after the embroidery is completed. Minati also makes use of her sewing skills by working on some creative hand embroidery. Minati loves the social atmosphere of the factory and working as part of a team with her co-workers.
Family life: Minati lives with her husband and daughter.
Passion points: In her spare time, Minati likes to watch television series and practice her singing. Despite her hectic schedule, Minati finds time for exercise and cycles everyday for at least half an hour. She feels this helps her to relax and unwind.
Dreams for the future: Her main dream in life is to highly educate her daughter and to teach her to be a good person.
MEET Raju - CUTTING
Factory role: Raju’s main role in the factory is cutting fabric ready for sampling and production.
Family life: Raju is proud to make an honest living and to provide for himself through working; he believes this job is his karma. Raju lives in a joint family with his brother, parents and both of their wives and children.
Passion points: In his spare time Raju runs a football club for local children and enjoys going to local fairs with his family.
Dreams for the future: His main dream in life is to give his children a comfortable life with education and success.