Ruaab SEWA
Ruaab SEWA represents a unique model of garment production and sourcing that is owned and managed by women producers, which ensures ethical and transparent supply chain. The company has nine board members, six are the producers itself, and two are representative of SEWA and one is independent.
Ruaab SEWA runs sub-centers in six areas of Delhi namely Sundernagri, Rajiv Nagar, Anand Nagari, Mullah Colony, Mustafabad and New Ashok Nagar. Through its parent organization, SEWA Bharat, Ruaab SEWA also provides livelihood support in two areas of Bareilly, namely Richola and Faridpur. A total of 1,200 women have been linked to Ruaab SEWA.
Ruaab SEWA achievements
- 420 women members directly supported (2013)
- 750 poor women shareholders in Ruaab SEWA
- Total production of Rs. 57,49,389 (2013)
Focus areas
Ruaab’s ethical model
- Export order and material provision:
Ruaab SEWA receives an order from an export house. The exporters provide materials and garments for beading to Ruaab SEWA’s Issue Receipt Center (IR Center) received at the I-R Department through which it is channeled to the six Ruaab work centers and can be collected by women workers. - Ethical Trade Initiative (ETI) time and motion study
Ruaab’s sampling team applies ETI’s ‘time and motion’ study as a tool to quote an accurate rate for the exporters. This is the process of finding out the actual time taken by the workers in completing a particular embroidery pattern as per the sample provided by exporter. - Production
Ruaab members collect the base pieces from the centers and take them to their homes for embellishment. The home-based workers return the finished materials to the centers. - Documentation
The members’ transactions of pieces are recorded in individualized record books and payments are done on a monthly basis in each center. - Quality control
Ruaab field supervisors regularly visit workers homes and sub centers to check product quality - Dispatch
Finished pieces are dispatched to the IR Center after additional central-level quality checks, and then are dispatched to exporters. - Direct export
Ruaab SEWA has now entered into business of direct export and is developing products in-house for making a good niche in the international market and moving towards the path of becoming self-reliant.
Through ETI, SEWA members started getting embroidery work at reasonable rates from major international companies such as Monsoon, Gap, and Next. After ensuring regular wages and employment, women members decided to form their own women’s run production company in 2010 called Ruaab.
Major brands
The center model facilitates linking the women to the mainstream market. The women workers get work from well known international brands like GAP, NEXT, New Look, Monsoon, Max, Zara, Vero Moda, Mango, Lindex, Peacock and Vila, who not only provide fair wages but also recognized their skill and efforts.
The brands provided them with a platform to showcase their skills in garments, which add value to the product. The brands channel the work through various retailers located in Noida, Gurgoan, Faridabad and Okhla like B.L.International, Ranika, Rainbow, Zynke exports, Instyle, VNS, Signet, Paramount, V&S, Liliput, Modesty, Touch Of India, Century Oversees, and G.K.Apparels.
Integrated approach
SEWA’s embroidery center model ensures better wages and various other benefits like micro-credit and pension, social security, vocational training and children education, legal sessions and linkages to various other government schemes.