Textile Designer

**______________________________________**

**Textile Designer, SEWA Ruaab**

**(An enterprise supported by SEWA Bharat)**

**About SEWA Ruaab**:
SEWA works with a joint strategy of Struggle and Development. While the work of rights involves long-term struggle, SEWA also aims to support economic empowerment by addressing the practical need of women for more income-generating work. Members of SEWA have done this time and again by women of a trade group coming together to register for-profit enterprises, where Women are Owners,

Women are Managers, and Women are Beneficiaries. We call these collective social enterprises or

सामूहक उयोग. SEWA Bharat supports a cohort of 10 grassroots social enterprises which includes SEWA

Ruaab, an artisan producer company based out of New Delhi.

SEWA Ruaab, an artisans’ producer company, began out of SEWA in 2009, India’s largest movement of informal women workers when home-based embroidery workers in Delhi and weavers in Bihar sought a solution to the economic and social exploitation that women faced in the garment supply chain. Women in the informal sector face a myriad of problems, such as low wages, sweatshop conditions, and bonded and child labour. Ruaab is owned and run by artisans, providing them with control of their work and their production. Ruaab aims to uplift our artisans through dignified work, by providing them with a voice and control over their economic decisions. We also provide connections directly to social services through our connection with SEWA to provide social benefits.

**Scope of Work**:
SEWA Ruaab has been working with the weavers in the handloom weaving cluster of Bhagalpur in Bihar and that of handloom weaving cluster in Fulia in West Bengal. The Textile Designer will support the enterprise in developing designs corresponding to the trends in the fashion industry and create a recognition for the brand. We are looking for a Textile Designer with a strong background in woven design developments in the craft communities. We are looking for a self-starting team player. This person’s key responsibilities would be to create designs; develop samples and produce them with the assistance of the local team.

**Tasks & Deliverables**:
1) Ideation, planning and designing of the upcoming collection for the inhouse brand: a) Undertaking research (primary and/or secondary) for idea and inspiration; b) Producing design ideas, sketches using computer
- aided design (CAD) softwares. c) and samples to represent your ideas to the team; and

**______________________________________** d) Working on the feedback received by the team to generate output corresponding to the trend.

2) Sampling and production of the inhouse brand’s design collections: a) Coordinating with the weavers and the local team coordinators (Bhagalpur and Fulia

Cluster) for explaining the finalized designs and looking into the sampling of the designs; b) Closely monitoring each of the steps involved in the sample development processes of the designs and taking ownership of them; c) Taking the necessary steps for managing the production of the same and closely following up on each of the processes in coordination with the local team (Bhagalpur and Fulia Cluster); d) Traveling to the weaving clusters (Bhagalpur and Fulia Cluster) whenever required for supervising the entire step; e) Training and capacity building of members on new designs.

3) Working on the clients’ specific orders: a) Communicating with clients and interpreting their ideas and needs accurately; b) Collaborating with the client’s brief and developing ideation and designs of the product; c) Coordinating with the weavers and the local team coordinators (Bhagalpur and Fulia

Cluster) for explaining the finalized designs and looking into the sampling of the designs; d) Taking the necessary steps for managing the production of the same and closely following up on each of the processes in coordination with the local team (Bhagalpur and Fulia Cluster); and e) Communicating with clients and updating them about the progress of each step of the process.

4) Contributing in a few projects in the Delhi cluster that involves designing and product development;
5) Day-to-day coordination with Bhagalpur and Fulia Cluster and manage sampling/production together with cluster incharge.

**Key Skills & Qualification Required**:
1) Textile Design graduate with minimum 3 years of relevant experience.

2) Experience in working with craft communities is a plus.

3) Proficient in design softwares for CAD designs;
**Desired Skills & Qualification (not necessary)**:
1) Textile Design Graduate with experience in weaving craft cluster;

**Location**:
New Delhi and frequent travel to Bhagalpur cluster, Fulia cluster and at different project locations (if any).

**Salary**: ₹30,000.00 - ₹45,000.00 per month

**Benefits**:

- Health insurance

Schedule:

- Day shift

Ability to commute/relocate:

- New Ashok Nagar, New Delh