“"We stitch flowers on bags the same way we grew up watching our mothers stitch on cloth — by hand, with patience."”
These five women are part of Darji's embroidery group based in Phalodi. Each of the tote bags they are holding was stitched entirely by hand — sunflowers, wildflowers, roses — each design chosen and embroidered by the woman who made it.
Before joining Darji, most of them worked only inside their homes with no income of their own. Today they take orders, manage their own schedules, and send their children to school with what they earn. The bags they hold in this photo were delivered to customers across India the following week.