Welcome to the Profugo Market! The Profugo Market is a collection of handcrafted products made by empowered women in Wayanad, India. 100% of the profits from the Profugo Market go back to fund community development projects. Our goal is to tell the women’s stories, through their crafts!

Who is Profugo?

Profugo is a non-profit organization involved in international development. Profugo works alongside communities to create social change that is focused on economic empowerment and improved health. We believe our approach is a catalyst for generating positive community development that is cost effective, sustainable, and long lasting.

What Inspired the Profugo Market?

We believe the Profugo Market is a unique and sustainable way to empower our producers and fund our development projects. The Profugo Market is a collaborative effort of countless designers, marketers, researchers, our dedicated tailors, and many other talented volunteers. Our merchandise invites consumers to take part in a global neighborhood for a better quality of life. We want to make a social statement a fashion statement!

Beginnings:

In 2012, Profugo started a Tailoring Training Program within our Center of Development in Wayanad, India. It was a program designed to teach 5 women in an agricultural community the basics of tailoring. What developed from this program went far beyond technical skills. These women generated income that helped provide for their families. They became motivated, confident, and empowered. They became leaders in their community. They seized the opportunity and it changed their lives. We were so inspired by this project that it got us thinking of other ways to expand the program. Thus, in October 2012, we launched the Profugo Market to help share their story and help a village rise out of poverty! In 2013, we expanded the program to include 11 women, moved to a larger facility, upgraded the equipment, and are now planning to bring our merchandise to a larger US market.

The Process:

Each and every product created by the tailoring program is unique and handcrafted with care. The design for each product is the culmination of a global collaboration between Profugo volunteers, team members, and our dedicated tailors. We work directly with small fabric makers that supply our fabric and follow fair trade principles. The fabrics that we use are cotton or cotton blends of varying weights that have been dyed using organic and sustainable processes. We use fabrics that are printed using Kalamkari block prints as well as various dying techniques such as Shibori and Bandhani. The tailors at Profugo’s Tailoring Program take these lovely fabrics and create beautiful products, designed by the Profugo Team. The finished products are then sent to Profugo’s US office in Ardmore, PA, where orders are received and fulfilled. 100% of the profits from the Profugo Market go back to fund community development initiatives!

The Impact:

Profugo’s Tailoring Program has a simple mission: To equip women with the tools and resources needed to improve their lives and the lives of their families. We want to provide these women with the business and entrepreneurial skills so they can confidently succeed.
This program has not only changed the women’s lives, but it has also impacted a village. Their business helps generate positive social change for an entire community. Through the Profugo Market, these women have helped provide funding for clean water access to benefit 100+ people, health & wellness education workshops, outreach programs for the local schools, Spoken English & educational support programs for village children, just to name a few positive outcomes. The Profugo Market is in the business of building a global neighborhood for a better quality of life!