A venture by Disappearing Dialogues Collective (dD), dD Dokan was established with the aim to promote the rich heritage, stories and skills of the East Kolkata Wetlands community.
The brand offers a range of products under their ‘Gamcha Diaries’, ‘Woven Diaries’, and ‘Jolabhumi Diaries’ collections. The product range includes tote bags, postcards, yoga mats, bookmarks, cushion covers, batua bags, scrunchies, badges, and notebooks. All the collectibles are made by hand using materials procured from homes and backyards of the people living in the East Kolkata Wetlands.
Their products are made by the people of the community to serve as an alternative to the mainstream products found in the market. It is the brand’s goal to help the women of the community gain empowerment by providing them financial stability and sustainability, promote community practices and biodiversity, as well as create awareness about the conservation of the wetlands that play a major role in protecting the environment of the city.
The tote and batua bags, cushion covers, and scrunchies are handmade by artisans using old gamchas (towels) while the yoga mats are woven by hand using date palm leaves (completely eco-friendly and sustainable) found in the wetlands. The mats can also be used as asanas for outdoor seating and insulated flooring. The bookmarks are hand drawn by the children of the East Kolkata Wetlands community and come in simple yet elegant designs.
We particularly loved the tote bags because they are super stylish and go with both ethnic and casual outfits. Bagwati, as the brand calls it, is available in a variety of colours and is your sustainable alternative to the not-so-environment-friendly ones found in the market that you can carry while you shop or hang out and, in the process, make an ethical fashion statement
The pocket design variations of the bags have fun hand drawn illustrations of the flora and fauna found in the wetlands. Prices start at INR 300 exclusive of shipping charges.
