#omproject

She was free in her wildness. She was a wanderess, a drop of free water. She belonged to no man and no city

In early 2013, Jason Motlagh and Susie Taylor traveled to Bangladesh to investigate its garment industry in the wake of the Tazreen Fashions fire. During the course of their reporting, they confronted the systemic problems that continue to claim hundreds of lives each year as manufacturers cut corners to meet overseas demand for cheap clothing. To date, pledges to clean up the industry have not resulted in a lasting investment to protect people. When they visited a women’s cooperative in the north of the country, it struck a refreshing contrast to the despair in Dhaka. Employees earned a daily minimum wage for an 8-hour workday, and accrued savings to set aside. They were free to take their work home with them, and enjoyed financial planning help and advancement within an organization that had successfully expanded abroad. With their savings the women unanimously chose to invest in their homes and children, enabling some to pursue a higher education. Agency and a broader sense of responsibility grow hand in hand. Susie and Jason had a realization: if consumers were offered the chance to see where products originated, they would likewise be empowered to make better choices and choose to invest in the people who made them. With this in mind, they designed a working bag made of locally sourced plant fiber and repurposed sari cloth. Made entirely by hand in dignified conditions, the bag is a symbol of fair and honest work, and a commitment to productivity. This is how the OM Project was born.