Local Women's Handicrafts

What Local Women's Handicrafts does

Local Women's Handicrafts is a privately held, founder-owned e-commerce business founded in 2008 by Nasreen Sheikh, a survivor of modern slavery, and headquartered in Kathmandu, Nepal with US-facing commercial operations. The company sells handmade artisan products across home and garden, kitchen and dining, fashion, stationery, and gifts categories, with products predominantly made from upcycled sari fabrics, organic hemp, organic cotton, and recycled textiles produced by a global network of women artisans trained over 4-5 year apprenticeships.

The commercial platform is built on Shopify, supporting multi-currency checkout and shipping to more than 20 countries across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. The technology stack is intentionally conventional: Shopify e-commerce infrastructure with integrated payment processing (American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Mastercard, Visa, Shop Pay, Bancontact, Diners Club, Discover, iDEAL), Shopify multi-currency and language localization, and standard organic social channels (Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter/X). There are no proprietary software platforms, AI/ML capabilities, mobile apps, or disclosed patents or trademarks.

The business operates three revenue streams: direct-to-consumer retail product sales (unit-priced $6-$158+), fixed-denomination gift cards ($100-$300), and wholesale (B2B minimum order $200, distributed both directly and via the Faire marketplace). A corporate gifting channel serves enterprise buyers seeking values-aligned gifts. The customer base is split between conscious consumers, corporate gifting accounts, yoga and wellness enthusiasts, and wholesale buyers. There are no disclosed funding rounds, no institutional investors, and the team is reported at 1-10 employees; the company is operated under the founder with no parent company or subsidiary structure.

Name

Local Women's Handicrafts

Legal name

Local Women's Handicrafts

Website

https://localwomenshandicrafts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Local Women's Handicrafts is a Nepal-based, founder-led e-commerce business selling handmade fashion, home decor, and gift products made by a global network of women artisans from upcycled and sustainable materials, distributed via Shopify, Faire wholesale, and corporate gifting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Home Goods and Handmade Crafts

NAICS

Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159), Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing (339910)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Costume Jewelry & Novelties (3960)

akta.pro primary industry

Decorative Accessories Retail (Vases, Bowls, Sculptures, Figurines, Trays) (CRAIACAB)

Keywords

• Handmade home decor
• Upcycled textile products
• Artisan fashion accessories
• Fair trade handicrafts
• Yoga and meditation accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Kathmandu

HQ country

Nepal

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: One-time purchase model for handmade artisan products across categories including home goods, fashion, jewelry, yoga accessories, and gifts. Products are priced individually with a range from $6 to $158+.
2. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold at fixed denominations ($100, $150, $200, $250, $300) allowing recipients to select their own products.
3. Wholesale: B2B wholesale channel with a $200 minimum order, offering discounted pricing on the full product catalog for retailers and resellers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Local Women's Handicrafts produces and sells handmade home decor, fashion accessories, yoga and meditation products, and gift items crafted by a global network of women artisans using upcycled sari fabrics, hemp, organic cotton, and other eco-friendly materials. The company operates a direct-to-consumer Shopify storefront, a wholesale channel with a $200 minimum order, and a corporate gifting program, distributing to conscious consumers and ethical retailers worldwide.

Product overview

Local Women's Handicrafts is a survivor-led e-commerce platform offering handcrafted goods made by women artisans worldwide. The company operates as a unified marketplace rather than a modular platform, selling ethically sourced and handmade products primarily made from upcycled and recycled materials. The product portfolio centers around five main categories: Home + Garden (baskets, storage, pillows, throws, mats, rugs, yoga accessories), Kitchen + Dining (table linens, placemats, coasters), Fashion (bags, wallets, clothing, hats, scarves, shawls, jewelry), Stationery + Party (notebooks, postcards, decorations), and Kids items. Core product lines include upcycled sari yoga mats and bags, hemp-based accessories (backpacks, wallets, totes), recycled fabric home decor (pillow covers, rugs, doormats), handwoven textiles (scarves, shawls, blankets), and meditation items (singing bowls, cushions, incense). Products are predominantly made from upcycled sari fabrics, hemp, cotton, and recycled materials, emphasizing sustainability and fair-trade principles. The company also offers wholesale accounts with a $200 minimum and corporate gifting services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Extra Padded Yoga Mat Extra padded yoga mat made from recycled sari fabrics with natural cotton fabric for comfort and anti-slip protection. Dimensions: 70 x 24 inches, Weight: 380g. Priced at $48.00 USD.
• Colorful Placemat Fair trade placemat handmade from recycled sari fabrics. Best seller with minimum order quantity of 4 pieces. Dimensions: 19 x 12.5 inches. Priced at $14.00 USD.
• Upcycled Yoga Mat Bag Yoga mat bag with three pockets including main pocket with zipper, 8 x 4 inch front pocket with elastic for water bottle, and inner small pocket. 55-inch adjustable strap. Priced at $35.00 USD.
• Cotton Yoga Mat and Bag Set Cotton yoga mat and bag set with extra padding, including mat and bag with 19-inch zipper and adjustable 33-inch strap. Available in Purple, Brown, Green. Priced at $68.00 USD.
• Upcycled Yoga Mat and Bag Set Upcycled Sari yoga mat and bag set at 15% discounted price, including one yoga mat and one yoga mat bag. Priced at $97.00 USD.
• Vibrant Flags Garland Handcrafted repurposed flags garland made from upcycled materials. Adds a rainbow touch around house or garden. Dimensions: 5 meters. Priced at $28.00 USD.
• Long Table Runner Fair trade upcycled table runner made from sari fabrics for dining table decoration. Dimensions: 113 x 14 inches, Weight: 835g. Priced at $55.00 USD.
• Square Pillow Cover Fair trade pillow cover handmade from various leftover materials with upcycled lining and organic cotton back with zip. Dimensions: 19 x 19 inches. Priced at $52.00 USD.

Quantifiable outcome

• Training program duration: 4-5 years for artisans to master crafts and achieve quality standards

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform powering the Local Women's Handicrafts online store. Provides website hosting, payment processing, and retail infrastructure for direct-to-consumer sales.
• FairecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale marketplace connecting Local Women's Handicrafts with retailers and boutique buyers. Provides discovery and ordering platform for wholesale purchases.
• End Modern Slavery NowstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerMovement and petition initiative that Local Women's Handicrafts aligns with and supports. Brand is inspired by principles of ending modern slavery through economic empowerment.
• Transparent TradestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative that inspires Local Women's Handicrafts' approach to ethical sourcing and transparent supply chains. Brand principles align with transparent trade practices.
• Empowerment CollectivecoreOthersOrganization connected to founder Nasreen Sheikh. Local Women's Handicrafts directs donations to Empowerment Collective, suggesting a close organizational or founder relationship.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SERRV International: Nonprofit fair-trade organization selling handcrafted goods from artisans in developing countries through D2C, wholesale, and gift channels — overlapping customer base and product categories.
• Global Girlfriend: Women-focused fair-trade retailer of handmade artisan accessories, apparel, and home goods; highly comparable mission (women artisan empowerment) and product mix.
• Ten Thousand Villages: Long-established fair-trade retailer of handmade artisan goods sourced primarily from women makers in the Global South, operating the same D2C-plus-wholesale model across home decor, fashion, and jewelry categories.
• Made Trade: Ethical online marketplace curating fair-trade, sustainable, and made-in-USA products including handcrafted home goods, bags, and apparel — directly comparable assortment and values-led GTM motion.
• The Little Market: Fair-trade nonprofit e-commerce store specializing in handcrafted goods made by women artisans worldwide, with comparable mission-driven positioning and product categories spanning home and fashion.
• Novica: Online marketplace selling handcrafted artisan products from around the world, with a strong social-impact and fair-trade narrative similar to Local Women's Handicrafts and overlapping categories like home textiles, jewelry, and apparel.
• Trades of Hope: Mission-driven fair-trade company selling handmade artisan products through a women-empowerment lens using direct sales and e-commerce channels.

Broad incumbents

• Etsy (fair trade artisans): Massive online marketplace with thousands of sellers offering handmade artisan products in the same home, fashion, and jewelry categories — represents the competitive landscape Local Women's Handicrafts competes in for organic discovery.

Others

• Faire: Wholesale marketplace where Local Women's Handicrafts already sells; comparable as an indirect distribution partner and a representative of the broader curated indie retail channel they access.

Regional players

• Kishore Nepal: Nepal-based exporter and online retailer of fair-trade handmade home goods and accessories, comparable origin, artisan-base, and product categories (cushions, bags, scarves).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/localwomens
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCDgOrzOdgNTG0iWZm9xVU7A
• Facebookfacebook.com/localwomenshandicrafts
• Instagraminstagram.com/localwomenshandicrafts
• Pinterestpinterest.com/localwomenshandicraftsnepal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/localwomenshandicrafts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Local Women's Handicrafts