E ECENT times Intve Iweu a boom for handicrafts and the readymade gar-industry. The quality of locally made Clothes nave improved so much that now we . can proudly claim that our products top can compete side by side with any such foreign products.

The increase in demand of readymade clothes and hand embroidered sarees and sahvar kameezes have led to an increase in the number of independent boutiques and other small workshops in the city. Competition has led to more innovation and prices too ijave now stabilised more or less of these prtMucts. The Interest in "deshi” products'lw; now" a W>‘ spectabfe fashion, and therefore. their product an "in" pro-fession.

The Coalition Cottage Printing Project is one such organisation which is dabbling in small scale production of locally made and designed clothes. This project was ini-' »started as a side-project

Women's Health Coalitions Brands in Mirpur. to provide income-generating work for poor women. It has since become a self-sufficient and independent section with its own staff.

Sarees. salu-ar kameezes. bed-Covers, cushion covers, shawls, tablecloths etc., are the main products of this organisation. Sarees are bought as wholesale fabrics and then dyed, block printed and embroidered according to their very own design. The same is done in Case of salmar kameezes and bed-covers. Although , the fabrics are all patterned and embroidered by the projects own designer, a lot of work is done as per the clients’ orders. A fair portion of the organisation's sales are to shops on Baily Road, Eastern Plaza and other boutiques arsuffd tht city. Individual pieces are also sold from their -'prwmfses/ 'Bhe-project also participates at mdst exhibitions and "meena bazaars” around th'e city and was also in the WVA's own affair recently..

The sarees and dresses are primarily-very ethnic in their patterns and designs. Some dresses are also designed as Kthe season's demand, as ivily embroidered ones around the Eid festivals <-ic. The sarees are beautifully pat-terned. the block-printed sa-rees which are also hand embroidered are especially one of thqir better attractions (and

more popular). The detailed embroidery is done in vibrant colour. These sarees are first blockprinted and then embroidered. the dual work giving the sarees a very elegant outlook. Rabeya Khanam is the enigmatic lady overlooking this entire project.

She is assisted by Mowri Sultana who is actually the project s accounts officer but In effect involved in all other work as well. Rabeya herself designs all the patterns and embroidery done on the sarees and the dresses and also deals with all the clients and outgoing orders. The quality of the . materials used and the quality I of the finished goods are factots to which most attention is given, according to Rabeya and She proudly claims that they never have had any complaints regarding the quality of their products.

At present the Coalition Cottage Printing Project has 19 permanent staff who do the block printing- dyeing and tailoring at their premises at Mirpur. Work, especially of hand embroidery, is mainly done by the temporary staff who are paid for each piece of work they complete. Rabeya said that the project at all

limes have around 200 to 250 temporary' people (especially women) working- for them. The advantage of this kind of work is that the women take the materials and fabrics home with them and do the work at home.

One of the best attractions of this project is that the prices of all their products are very reasonable. Sarees are available here from Taka 375 up to Tk 600 for the variety of "tie- n -dye" and block printed sarees. depending on the designs. The hand-embroidered sarees are priced between Tk 650 and 1200. again depend-

some 3-piece) range between Tk 475 and Tk 2000. Shawls and kotees are also available here, their prices also between Tk 200 and 350 for the former and 190 and 300 for the latter. Individual orders are also taken here for sarees. saltvar kameezes. bed-covers, cushion covers, etc and the charges are extremely reasonable. Unfortunately. the project does not have a separate showroom but then products are displayed and sold from their own premises at House No 10. Rd No 4. Mirpur Section 10.