Vallikavu, Kollam – November 3, 2025: TULA, the Australian ethical clothing brand celebrated for its commitment to sustainability and slow fashion, continued its production activities in South India with a new milestone this month.
On November 3rd, Sreeshma Chechi worked on crafting the Boxy Top for TULA’s upcoming collection. The production took place in Vallikavu, Kollam, Kerala—where skilled artisans collaborate to bring sustainable designs to life.
Supporting the process was Muskan Chhatwal, Designer from NIFT-Gayathri and Artisan Outreach & Design Curator at WE Project Store. She supervised the pattern-cutting process with a strong focus on precision and minimal fabric wastage, aligning with TULA’s eco-conscious production standards.
TULA continues to expand its presence in India by integrating ethical practices with local craftsmanship, empowering artisans while maintaining their global sustainability ethos.
November 5, 2025 – Amritapuri, Kerala: The WE STORE team has created a fully upcycled poster for the upcoming conference organized by HUT Labs for the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Mechatronics, scheduled to take place on November 7–8, 2025.
This unique poster was crafted entirely from upcycled materials, reflecting the team’s commitment to sustainability, creativity, and responsible production. By repurposing discarded items into a high-quality conference display board, the WE STORE team showcased how thoughtful design can reduce waste while delivering professional, impactful communication materials.
The initiative highlights the increasing integration of sustainable practices within academic and technological events, setting an inspiring example for future conferences.
Vallikavu, Kollam – November 1–7, 2025: Eleven first-year CSE students successfully completed their Ma Om Project – Compassion in Action at the WE STORE, actively engaging in community-oriented tasks that connected them with local women’s self-help groups and sustainability initiatives.
As part of their internship, the students visited the Sivasakthi Tailoring Unit in Kattikadavu, where they explored the work of the Sivasakthi SHG group and supported their entrepreneurial efforts by promoting their products across the Amrita University campus.
To strengthen outreach, the students designed and displayed promotional posters throughout the Amritapuri campus. Their efforts aimed to boost visibility and create opportunities for the SHG women to expand their customer base within the university community.
A focused brainstorming session was conducted to identify reusable materials from within the university that could support the women’s livelihood activities. Items such as regular uniforms, lab coats, college lanyards, and discarded umbrellas were shortlisted. The team then created a practical collection plan to ensure these materials could be consistently gathered.
The students also met Meenamba, widely known as the “Plastic Woman,” who shared her insights on upcycling, environmental responsibility, and living with purpose. They observed her handmade upcycled products and pledged to begin their own collection drive—starting with old umbrellas—to support similar initiatives.
This immersive experience helped students understand the importance of sustainable practices, social responsibility, and community engagement—core values championed through the Ma Om Project and WE STORE.
Amritapuri, Kerala – November 19 & 26, 2025: The WE STORE team has introduced a new sustainability initiative aimed at collecting empty Coffee Day packets from canteens in and around the Amritapuri campus. This effort supports ongoing upcycling projects and provides valuable raw materials for local women artisans.
Beginning on November 19 and continuing through November 26, 2025, the team set up a streamlined collection system across three campus canteens. WE STORE members provided instructions to canteen staff on how to properly cut, clean, and store the empty packets to ensure they are ready for reuse.
With the system now in place, WE STORE volunteers will collect the packets on a weekly basis, creating a steady supply of raw material for artisans who transform these discarded items into functional and eco-friendly products.
This initiative not only reduces campus waste but also strengthens WE STORE’s mission to empower women through sustainable livelihoods and responsible production.
Amritapuri, Kerala – November 15–20, 2025: A representative from the Plastic Upcycling Project conducted a two-day hands-on workshop aimed at transforming everyday waste into functional, eco-friendly products. The training introduced participants to practical upcycling methods that convert discarded materials into useful items, promoting sustainability and creativity within the community.
Two tailoring students from the SANKALP AVSAR 2021–2022 cohort, Aswathy and Bincy, took part in the workshop. During the session, they learned to craft an upcycled pouch using materials such as broken umbrella fabric, empty peanut packets, and discarded Coffee Day sachets. The activity highlighted how commonly discarded items can be repurposed with simple techniques and thoughtful design.
Beyond the technical training, the workshop emphasized the importance of upcycling, waste reduction, and responsible resource use. Participants were encouraged to observe their own households and identify similar plastic items that are often thrown away, and were assigned a follow-up task to explore how these materials could be creatively reused.
This initiative continues to strengthen local women’s capacity for sustainable livelihood activities while fostering environmental awareness across the community.
Vallikavu, Kollam – November 10–29, 2025: The WE STORE successfully hosted two Masters in Social Work (MSW) interns during their month-long field internship, providing them with immersive, hands-on experience across community development, sustainability, digital outreach, and livelihood support activities.
Throughout their internship, the students actively contributed to a broad range of tasks including:
As part of their contribution to artisan development efforts, the interns also introduced Bincy Chechi to a new product line idea—crochet hair accessories—to support skill expansion and product diversification.
On November 20, 2025, WE STORE team members Vinitha V, Gayathri Srinivas, and T.S. Shalini, along with interns Sreelakshmi and Parvathy, offered stitching support for creating specialized pouches required for mussel cultivation under the IMPTA project. Their collaborative effort showcased the integration of social work, community empowerment, and sustainable livelihood practices.
The internship not only strengthened the students’ field skills but also contributed meaningfully to WE STORE’s mission of sustainability, women empowerment, and community-driven development.
Vallikavu, Kollam – November 18–19, 2025:
As part of their ongoing contribution to the IMPTA project, WE STORE interns Parvathy and Sreelakshmi undertook key field activities that supported both community development and project logistics—especially the stitching work required for mussel cultivation pouches.
The interns visited the local panchayat office to gather insights about existing government schemes available for women entrepreneurs. The visit also helped them understand the administrative functions of the panchayat and its role in supporting the community.
During their discussions, they learned that many essential services are facilitated through Akshaya Centres. They then visited a nearby centre, where they observed several public services offered to citizens, including:
This exposure provided the interns with a deeper understanding of the governmental ecosystem that supports rural women and local communities
On the following day, the interns identified a YKK dealer in Chennai and reviewed the official YKK catalogue to source suitable materials for stitching tasks related to the mussel cultivation pouches. They successfully completed the initial sampling, contributing to the inter-team supply chain needed for the IMPTA project.
These efforts highlight the collaborative spirit of the WE STORE team and the practical, field-based learning experience of the interns—strengthening the link between community empowerment, sustainable livelihoods, and project execution.
