Kantha Collection Released by Rising Tide Fair Trade

Unbeknown to, I am sure, many of us, Fair trade company, Rising Tide Fair Trade, introduces artisan-made kantha quilt bags to the U.S. with the debut of its Spring line, in NYC in Februart 2008.

Rising Tide Fair Trade (RTFT), distributors of fair trade fashion to the U.S.A., on the 20th February announced the release of its signature kantha collection – a limited edition line of carryall bags hand-crafted from vibrant vintage Indian quilts and cruelty-free dark brown suede.

Each bag is an original, designed exclusively for RTFT under the direction of company co-founders, Virginia Dooley and Nicole Jones. The cotton kantha textiles are sourced from a fair trade womens’cooperative in West Bengal, where the bags are all hand-crafted. Kantha artisans earn a living wage to support their families. RTFT individually chose each quilt for the collection from the cooperative’s wares.

The finished product, a combination of vibrantly colored floral and geometric patterns woven together with the finest kantha embroidery, embodies the adventurous spirit and stylish sensibility that puts Rising Tide at the forefront of the American fair trade marketplace.

“Nicole and I want fashionable women to realize the impact of the purchases they make. In the past, environmentally and socially conscious fashion meant traditional handicrafts, burlap and Birks. We created Rising Tide to help integrate fair trade fashion into the main stream, so modern women can embrace a people and planet friendly lifestyle and great style.”

Each kantha bags measures H 12” x W 20” x D 8”. Two 12” cruelty-free suede straps fit easily over the shoulder. The bags retails at $220.

Dooley and Jones plan to expand their line of limited edition bags by rolling out seasonal collections based on specialized textiles native to specific global regions. Plans for lines featuring fabrics of Uzbekistan, Cambodia, Senegal, and Bolivia are already in the works.

The Kantha collection is available on line at www.rtfairtrade.com.

In Bengal any garment or cloth with kantha embroidery, a running stitch which forms or outlines decorative motifs, is dubbed a kantha garment. Kantha is prevalent on saris in Bengal where women wrap themselves in decorative fabrics with its intricate embroidery. The stitching is also used in simple quilts for daily use. Women in Bengal often compile old saris and cloths and layer them with kantha stitch to make a light blanket or throw, especially for children. Also known as “rilli” (derived from the local word meaning to mix or connect) kantha quilts are often collected as a status of wealth and used for a daughter’s dowry.

Rising Tide Fair Trade was founded in 2004 by Virginia Dooley and Nicole Jones, two friends united by an obsession with exotic textiles and a belief that fashion and sustainability should go hand in hand.

Dooley and Jones realized their common interest while studying together in London, where they were inspired by the prevalence of fair trade goods in the U.K. and the lack of such products in the States. Determined to fill a hole they saw in the U.S. market and to disseminate fair trade labor practices to mainstream shoppers, the friends launched Rising Tide in June 2004. After testing a variety of clothing and accessories, Dooley and Jones decided to feature weekend bags as their signature item.

All Rising Tide bags are made with the highest quality craftsmanship and most eye-catching raw and recycled materials available from fair trade cooperatives across the globe. No two pieces are the same. Call or visit their website for more information, www.rtfairtrade.com