Opportunity for Women creates Mekong Connection, a collective of brands committed to South East Asia
Opportunity for Women creates a collective of brands committed to South East Asia (Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam) withKrama Heritage , La Maison du Vietnam , Muudana , N'go Shoes and Soieries du Mékong .
Each of these 6 ethical and supportive companies is developing and promoting fairer consumption for each producer, more respectful of our planet, and more measured so as not to overproduce.
Mekong Connection allows us to pool our experiences, projects and vision in order to join forces for a fairer and more sustainable world, particularly in South East Asia.
6 French brands showcasing Southeast Asian crafts
Mekong Connection is a collective of ethical French brands that are committed to promoting the craftsmanship and ancestral know-how of the peoples of Southeast Asia. Intercultural exchange, the promotion of local cultures, fair trade, a commitment to local populations through solidarity redistribution are values that are at the heart of the collective.
Each brand faces the same issues and situations in Southeast Asia but also in France. This is why it is beneficial to join forces to have a more lasting and global impact.
Krama Heritage , a traditional Cambodian scarf
@kramaheritage highlights the Krama, the traditional Cambodian headscarf, passed down as a cultural heritage for centuries.
Krama Heritage is committed to the local economy in Cambodia: this elegant artisanal scarf is made ethically and fairly in the pure Cambodian tradition, while supporting the NGO Pour un Sourire d'Enfant, which works for education in Cambodia.
La Maison du Vietnam , responsible Vietnamese delicatessen
@lamaisonduvietnam meets small producers in Vietnam and highlights their work, their know-how and their products. Discover traditional Vietnamese-roasted cà phê, wild and century-old teas from ethnic minorities as well as other fine grocery products online.
Muudana , ethical and responsible clothing
@muudana.consciousfashion draws inspiration from traditional Southeast Asian craftsmanship to create modern and elegant clothing for men and women.
Traditional hand-woven fabrics are highlighted by original details and clean cuts.
Each creation combines traditional know-how, eco-design and fair manufacturing for minimum environmental impact and maximum social impact.
N'go shoes , trendy and artisanal sneakers
@ngoshoes is the sneaker brand that supports the traditional know-how of Vietnamese artisans from ethnic minorities, while financing the construction of schools in marginalized villages in North Vietnam. Each sneaker has its traditional Vietnamese pattern.
Mekong Silks , “Behind each scarf, a woman’s story”
At the confluence of Cambodian and French cultures, Soieries du Mékong reveals the exceptional and ancestral know-how of the weavers of Bantey Chhmar.
The story of @SoieriesduMekong is that of a journey. Since 2001, its silk scarves, designed in France and hand-woven in Cambodia, have symbolized the meeting between these two creativity. Its story is also that of patience, precision and delicacy. Each scarf requires between 8 and 12 hours of weaving to obtain a unique touch. Finally, its story is that of a commitment. Soieries du Mékong trains new Cambodian craftswomen each year in order to perpetuate their art.
Opportunity for Women , cushions woven by ethnic groups to travel from home
@opportunityforwomen offers collections of ethical and solidarity cushions woven by ethnic groups from Southeast Asia. Opportunity for Women supports 8 ethnic groups in the creation (Burma, Cambodia and Vietnam) and development (Laos) of a local weaving activity in order to preserve know-how and activities in the villages. The sales of cushions help finance local education, environment and empowerment projects!
Each cushion invites you to travel with traditional patterns from the ethnic group that wove it.
Proving that an ethical lifestyle is possible
Finding beautiful products that have a story and are fair trade or responsibly produced, at an affordable price, is not easy.
For example, between cushions Made in France offered at several hundred euros, far from suiting all budgets, and cushions produced on the other side of the world in deplorable working conditions... Consumers often have the impression of being stuck in their choices.
Mekong Connection wants to offer the public trendy, original, timeless, quality and, above all, responsible products. Transparency is therefore essential so that customers know when, where, how and by whom our products are made.
Each brand commits to a charter
Each brand commits to a common charter in order to move in the same direction, namely the promotion of craftsmanship, traditional Asian know-how and the inclusion of local stakeholders in our projects.
Article 1: Social entrepreneurship
We are committed to promoting social entrepreneurship through our activity: making profit a means, not an end in itself for social and/or environmental purposes.
Article 2: Integrity and transparency
Integrity must be the foundation of all decisions and practices of labeled projects. The sustainability and quality of relationships with partners (suppliers, brands) is based on a relationship of trust and transparency towards customers.
Article 3: Respect for men and women
We act in respect of the rights of each person, their dignity, their know-how and traditions. Each individual must receive fair remuneration with the assurance of working in dignified conditions.
Article 4: Interaction with local communities
Our actions respect the culture and customs specific to each local community.
We try to source raw materials, labels, packaging, etc. locally, as far as possible, to participate in local development and reduce the carbon footprint.
Article 5: Respect for the environment
The project operates with a view to respecting the environment, sustainable development and optimal allocation of natural resources.
The team is committed to using non- or low-polluting means for its business trips. Products are transported as much as possible by sea rather than by air.