(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)
Want to keep your pens AND your heart cozy and warm? Then you need to check out SHEdesigns Nepal—a women's empowerment business devoted to enriching the lives of women through the crafting of beautiful local textile goods.
The business began with an effort to sew sanitary products for girls who were missing school at an alarming rate due to menstruation. The pads allowed them to remain in school, resulting in higher test scores and better overall education outcomes. With the success of this effort, more women were employed to create even more products, from placemats to bags to pen cases. The company now employs ten women who are able to support their families and find independence.
But they aren't just a good cause! They're good at what they do!
All the products they offer are made from high quality traditional Nepali dhaka fabrics. These densely woven, colorful patterns are made using a traditional process mastered thousands of years ago by the indigenous Limbu people of eastern Nepal. It is a fine woven cotton fabric characterized by intricate geometric shapes in a broad range of natural colors.
The original cotton-producing plant that supplied dhaka artisans with the fiber they used to produce what was once the finest and most expensive fabric in the world (follow me down an amazing textile rabbit hole with this article from the BBC,) has since gone extinct. While the fiber is gone, the wisdom of its weavers has carried on, and while the emperors of the world are no longer wearing dhaka muslin, my pens are getting the royal treatment.
The SHEdesigns pen sleeves are available in 4-pen or 6-pen varieties and in six gorgeous fabric options. The pre-order for the sleeves is limited, due to the limited quantities of the woven fabric, and it is only open for a while longer. Sleeves will be made to order and ship at the end of August.
The pen roll shown here is the six-pen design. It has soft cotton outer fabric with a plush red velvet lining. The central flap folds down to cover the tops of the pens so there's no risk of scratches. The case rolls easily and is secured by a red cord with a decorative bead on the end. Each of the pen pockets is sewn 1.5" wide and accommodates even thicker fountain pens. The pockets are deep enough to cover a pen up to 6" long.
The stitching is well done, with no loose threads or crooked seams. It was clearly made with care and pride, and holding it, you can't help but feel a connection to its maker.
As a fiber artist myself, I have an inherent love of handmade textiles and fabric goods, and there's nothing better than a well-crafted item with an inspiring story behind it. Frankly, I'm a bit envious of my pens' new threads, so I'll be visiting the SHEdesigns site for some accoutrements of my own. And as a bonus, with every order you place, you can add on a donated sanitary pad kit for women and girls in Nepal. You can make a difference AND spoil yourself at the same time. And your pens will feel spoiled, too.
(SHEdesigns Nepal provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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