BHALO
Bhalo (the Bengali word for ‘good’) is an eco friendly label that designs limited edition women’s clothing and accessories, made from ethically hand woven and naturally dyed cottons and silks. Focused on honourable working conditions and community development, Bhalo works with local women, widows and indigenous communities in rural Bangladesh.
Bhalo is a partnership between a Shimul Minhas Uddin from Bangladesh, and Jessica Priemus from Australia who decided to start their own label that not only gave opportunities to impoverished people in Bangladesh, but also appealed to an international market
Not only does Bhalo allow the community to pursue regular employment and training, but a portion of the profits go towards- education and childcare for their children and basic healthcare, giving disadvantaged rural communities a sense of hope, and much needed dignity and strength.
As well as being focused on ethical working conditions and community development, Bhalo’s production also has a green focus. All of the clothing and accessories are handmade and produced without electricity. The cotton is not only naturally dyed and chemical free, but also hand loomed and hand embroidered. Silks are hand loomed and much of the sewing is still done by foot powered pedal sewing machines.
Bhalo’s “Golden Year” collection for 2011-12 showcases intricate embroidery combined with hand loomed fabric. This collection is available at various stores internationally & exclusively available at Fashion ComPassion in the UK.
