Fludjon Premto
Western New England University
Stacie Chappell
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Naughty Sun is taking neck ties to another level. Their silk ties are made from hand-loomed saree made in Varanasi, India. As the output of artisan labor, each saree is an original creation containing slight imperfections. These qualities make these ties that much more exclusive. All ties are made in a limited addition and each tie made from a specific saree is numbered. The ties are authenticated and the customer receives a certificate. The founders of the company are hoping to create a market for these handwoven products in the western world. They have decided that all profits made from the ties will be reinvested in purchasing Varanasi saree, creating economic support for local silk weavers.
James still remembers the first time he ever saw a statue of Shiva, one of the three most influential Hinduism religious figures. "I was six years old and I visited a museum in San Diego, I saw the the statue of Shiva and I never forgot," James recalled.
Decades later James visited India for his sabbatical and visited his friend Andy, a professor of religion, in Varanasi. James shared that the city is "the most religious city of India and it is believed that Shiva was the founder". While there Andy introduced James to Arun Himastinga, owner of the Banaras Art Emporium and a vendor of Varanasi saree. Friends for over 20 years, Andy met Arun while researching ethics in the Indian bazaar (marketplace). Through his research, and his friendship with Arun, Andy became familiar with the struggles of silk hand weavers. Because James has a background of entrepreneurship, Andy was hoping something would spark an idea of how they could work on saving the art form and help out Arun, someone he had built a strong bond with.
Most importantly, Andy knew how much James loved everything about India: it's art, religion, traditions, and the people. This also became clear to me during our interview. At a point in our conversation James said, "The women could be doing something as little as washing clothes, but they still wore these beautiful sarees and they looked magical in them". At that moment James face lit up and his passion for the cause was obvious. It is no surprise that he would volunteer his time and efforts in something that could potentially help in saving a struggling industry.
People in the Western world are exposed to a culture and art they may have not been exposed to before. Creating appreciation for the handwork involved in creating a saree used for neck ties will have a positive impact to the local people of Varanasi. Handweavers who have been hindered by the automation of silk weaving will have a source of income for their craft and skill. In the long haul this will create a sustainable job market for the profession and save an important art form of the region.
Due to the automation of weaving, silk products are now mass produced and people are able to get products at a much faster pace and at a much cheaper price. This has left many handweavers giving up their craft and acquiring different skills to support their families. Naughty Sun however takes an opposite approach, they showcase the beauty of the handwoven silk. Naturally, products that are made by hand have imperfections, instead of viewing this in a negative light they consider it a superior product and charge a premium price for it. Allowing Naughty Sun to maximize profits to put back into the Varanasi community of weavers. By seeing the potential, silk weavers will be motivated and convinced that their profession has the ability to be viable in the long run. Since traditionally weaving is passed on from family the success of Naughty Sun will be critical in influencing parents to pass on the tradition to their children.
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James M. Wilson III, Founder
