Ayesha, Toby, Solomon, and Raphael
After over 20 years in corporate America working with companies such as Citi Bike, Alphabet's LinkNYC, and Amazon, I left in May 2025 to focus on my family and wellness. While redecorating my home, I noticed a significant gap in the market for sustainable, well-made home goods. Sourcing pieces from outside the US was incredibly difficult due to wholesale restrictions and shipping limitations. I founded Looms to Rooms to build the access I couldn't find and to elevate artisans creating exquisite pieces from natural materials.
My travel to Bangladesh provided the opportunity to visit three incredible artisan groups in person. I wanted to share some details about my experience and the impactful work they are doing.The first group I visited was Artisan Hut, which was founded in 2002 by Monju Haque. It was inspiring to watch the artisans hand-weave, block-print, and embroider. Monju has built a sustainable model focused on economic independence rather than charity. Today, more than 250 artisans across rural Bangladesh earn twice as much as they would if they had transitioned to power looms. Next, I visited Basha Boutique, founded by Robin Seyfert. Robin initially moved to Bangladesh in 2006 to work on HIV awareness, which led her to support women exiting prostitution. When these women faced employment barriers, she established Basha to provide jobs. The organization now employs around 120 Bengali women, runs a daycare for 135 children, and operates a training and rehabilitation program for another 30 women across five cities. Their work centers on Kantha, a traditional quilting technique that transforms discarded saris into new products. Most pieces are embroidered with the artisan's name, connecting the buyer directly to her story. Finally, I traveled to Living Blue, located in a bamboo atelier in the farming village. It started as a CARE Bangladesh project to revive the native indigo plant, Indigofera tinctoria, and train artisans in kantha quilting and Japanese shibori tie-dye. When USAID funding was cut, 250 artisans initially lost their jobs, but the community formed a cooperative to keep the craft alive. Led by Anowarul Haq, the cooperative successfully transitioned the artisans to independent work. The exceptional skill involved in their natural dyeing process is evident, and their work is now carried by Galeries Lafayette in Paris. Seeing the dedication and craftsmanship of these communities first hand was a powerful experience, and I wanted to pass along their stories.
Through subsequent research, I also discovered Weaving Point in Tanzania. Founded by Comfort Shangali Kenneth, the company trains young Tanzanians in textile crafts using locally sourced, traceable cotton and contributes 2% of every sale to girls' education.
Closer to home, the wellness side of Looms to Rooms was shaped by our Brooklyn community. Terra Wellness, led by Dr. Choi, was a key part of that. I met her during my yoga practice, and her guidance on lifestyle approaches to treat root causes rather than symptoms is unparalleled. NAKDBODI, also based in Brooklyn, was founded by Ashley after her own struggles with allergies, asthma, and eczema; she makes minimalist skincare with no fillers and no fragrance for skin like mine. Both are natural sources of nourishment, and partnered with Looms to Rooms to support each other in our community. That's how Looms to Rooms came to be. Not a business plan or a checklist.
With much love, Ayesha <3
What's Next? - We are just getting started. Over the next few months, we will be attending trade shows and planning sourcing trips to Tanzania and Sri Lanka to discover more handmade products and social enterprises. We are also working on a project to measure the specific emissions avoided by choosing handmade, organic materials over synthetic options, turning conscious consumerism into a measurable impact.