Fashion designer Ponmani SP meticulously cuts different patterns from a piece of vibrant cotton fabric — fishes, birds and elephants. She sews the edges, leaving a small opening. She goes on to stuff it with poly-fills and stitches the opening. She adds features to it and dolls them up. These products are part of Thuvam, a fashion brand-cum-social enterprise’s new collection.
“In 2018, three years after completing a course in Fashion Designing, I started Thuvam. The aim was to ensure that women from rural backgrounds and female migrant workers are provided with job opportunities. This way, they are independent, earn a livelihood and can also take care of their family,” shares Coimbatore-based Ponmani who primarily works with women from Puliyanur village.
After listening to the ordeals of the Puliyanuru women during a visit to the village in 2016, Ponmani decided to create a space that will not only be conducive, but will also provide them with a life-long skill.
"I decided to teach them tailoring. Initially, only five women came forward to learn. Soon, tailoring machines were gifted by my friends. Women who came to learn the art were surprised when their children were given a space to spend time while they learned to tailor. The word spread but very few came to learn. Some still don’t feel this is a viable profession. Currently, three women from the village who trained under me work at Thuvam," shares the 27-year-old.
Ponmani flagged off her venture by stitching comfortable cotton underwear for women. "We used unbleached woven cotton for making undergarments and it received good feedback. Depending on the feedback we received, we made a few alterations, tried different size variations too," shares the entrepreneur who also conducts free tuitions in the village for children.
They are also taught basic tailoring. "I started using the excess fabric from the underwear line to create dolls — as an educational tool to engage children. They showed keen interest in learning the making process. This soon turned into a zero-waste initiative for us. The women who work with me suggested I launch a new range as part of Thuvam, where we make cloth toys and that’s how the new product line was born," she says.
After launching the cloth toys line earlier this month, it started garnering attention from across Tamil Nadu. “I procure the fabric from Coimbatore, Erode and Tiruppur. I teach other rural women about the stitch and help them make the toys too. I am planning to replace poly-fills with a sustainable alternative,” she says.
Ponmani is currently busy designing novel patterns from fabrics for the line and cutting the aspirations of these rural women from the same fabric. "After the launch of Thuvam, many women have stopped being migrant workers. Now, they get more time to spend time with their children," she beams.
For details, visit: thuvam.in
Fabrics & patterns
After launching the cloth toys line earlier this month, it started garnering attention from across Tamil Nadu. "I procure the fabric from Coimbatore, Erode and Tiruppur. I try new patterns and stitches to make the toys," says Ponmani.