The care and thought taken to create these beautiful hand-embroidered designs is evident in their delicacy. Each fabric insert is hand-decorated with beads, sequins, buttons and gems, while the card surround is handmade cotton paper. Made in Bangladesh by Swajan.

• Each card 13.8 x 13.8cm

Fair Trade Producer Details
Swajan was established in 1999 to promote high quality Bangladeshi fair trade handicrafts. It works with 600 handicraft producers creating products such as home textiles, handmade paper, cards and stationery, using traditional techniques in appliqué, embroidery, patchwork and mirror work.

"Along with my father I came to Dhaka from Narsinghdi in search of work. My father was a worker in a jute mill at Dhaka. Later on I got married and we got a tiny piece of land provided by the goverment. I was a housewife and used to do all the housework". When her husband died in 1991 Aysha Khatun had to find work and her earnings supported the whole family." Unfortunately the company she was working for closed down and she had to look for another job, this was when she joined Swajan.

"I have tried to educate my daughter who has passed class nine and then I paid for my daughter's marriage from my earnings", she says. "My only son is now studying in college and my aim is to give him a higher education. All the expenses I am managing out of my earnings. I am very comfortable with Swajan since the working enviroment is very good".