Relevé Fashion

An organization building a new handworker economy to increase global workforce inclusivity, while connecting craftspeople, brands, and consumers.

The Organisation Bio

Founder:

Rebecca van Bergen

Established:

2006

Headquarters:

New York City

Countries Active:

Over 70 countries across 5 continents, including India, Bangladesh, Mexico, Morocco, Nairobi and many others

Countries Active:

Over 70 countries across 5 continents, including India, Bangladesh, Mexico, Morocco, Nairobi and many others

Nest's mission is to build new handworker economy to increase global workforce inclusivity, improve women's well-being beyond factories, and preserve important cultural traditions around the world.

Nest works hand in hand with brands, philanthropists, and artisan businesses, using radical transparency, data-driven development, and fair market access to bring social responsibility and economic opportunities to handworkers worldwide. The organization connects craftspeople, brands, and consumers in a circular and human-centric value chain. Nest has shown that intensive and targeted on-site business developments yields significant impact for artisan businesses, reflected in increased wages, revenue, production, and staffing.

In partnership with public and private sector collaborators, including artisan business leaders themselves, Nest's programs are bringing radical transparency, data-driven development, and fair market access to a fragmented industry, unlocking handwork's unmet potential to improve our world.

The Nest Standards and Seal assesses handworker well-being

Nest Connect provides artisans access to growth opportunities

Nest Professional Fellowships is a volunteer program that brings knowledge sharing and cross-cultural innovation to the handworker sector

Nest Sourcing connects brands and artisans directly without the middlemen

Artisan Leadership Summit brings together a cohort of promising artisan business leaders in New York City to participate in industry immersion

Artisan Accelerator supports artisan businesses for an expedited path to growth

The Nest Standards for Homes and Small Workshops and Nest Seal of Ethical Handcraft work together to ensure industry-wide transparency and compliance for production taking place beyond the four-walled factory.

The Nest Seal incorporates hands symbolizing humanity, cooperation, and handicraft, as brought together with the image of a bird, depicting Nest's work to give artisan businesses the wings they need to fly.

Nest's compliance program stands to revolutionize the industry by making homework a safe and viable option. Measuring compliance across a matrix of 130 Standards, the training-first program is tailored to address the wide degree of variation in decentralized supply chains. The Nest Standards and Seal stand apart for their dedication to cultural sensitivity and handworker ownership in decision-making.

The Nest Seal is a symbol of assurance letting consumers know that the items they shop, from fashion to furniture, have been ethically handcrafted in a home or small workshop.

Nest has shown that intensive and targeted on-site business development yields significant impact for artisan businesses.

Impact in Numbers:

Nest Artisan Guild Countries: 70+

Artisan Businesses Supported: 450

Handworkers Supported: 100,000+

Wages: 2x above minimum standards

Revenue Increase: 56% average

Production Increase: 120% average

Relevé Fashion in partnership with

share with you the UN Sustainable Development Goals supported by Nest