Prudence's travel pouches are made by Freeset, who run a fair-trade co-operative for around 250 women living in West Bengal.
A fair wage and eco-friendly materials are not the only reason I wanted to work with them. Freeset empowers women through choice by providing them with a safe and structured method of making an income. I wanted to extend the notion of sexual autonomy beyond the simple act of buying a sex toy into some thing much more fundamental.
This is what the team at Freeset have to say about the initiative in their words:
“Freeset exists for the many women who have never had the choice to be free. We care about the thousands in West Bengal, India who are vulnerable to sex trafficking. These women don’t get to choose their occupation, and we want to change that. We make bags, tees, and hand-woven fabrics, and love that we are part of India’s long tradition of cotton and jute production.”
Here's a picture they sent to me during the production process. They make such beautiful things! I hope you think so too!
Ffion
