The hands behind every stitch

The SHWET initiative began training women in Chikankari inside Safe Society, a Lucknow NGO, in 2019. Shwet Heritage launched as its label in 2021. Today more than 1,000 women across self-help groups embroider every piece we sell, and earn ₹500 per kurta for work that middlemen price at ₹20–50. These are some of the artisans who sign their craft.

Named artisans: 46
Combined years at the needle: 220+
SHG clusters: 1
Paid per kurta: ₹500

Portrait of Aarti, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Aarti

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Aarti Kashyap, Fine Embroiderer at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

5 years at the needle

Aarti Kashyap

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Tepchi · Bakhiya

Portrait of Babita, Phanda Specialist at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

4 years at the needle

Babita

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Phanda

Portrait of Chandrakanti, Tepchi Expert at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

21 years at the needle

Chandrakanti

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Tepchi

Portrait of Gudiya, Hool Work Expert at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

16 years at the needle

Gudiya

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Hool

Portrait of Hema Devi, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Hema Devi

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Kanyavati, Fine Lines Master at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

15 years at the needle

Kanyavati

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Tepchi · Bakhiya

Portrait of Lalti, Pattern Designer at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

10 years at the needle

Lalti

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Madhu, Keel Kangan Specialist at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

9 years at the needle

Madhu

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Keel Kangan

Portrait of Malti, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Malti Dadi

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Mamta, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Mamta

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Manisha, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Manisha

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Manju, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Manju

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Meena, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Meena

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Meenakshi, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Meenakshi

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Meera, Murri Expert at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

17 years at the needle

Meera

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Murri

Portrait of Neelam, Fine Stitch Master at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

15 years at the needle

Neelam

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Tepchi · Bakhiya

Portrait of Phoolmati, Large Motif Specialist at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

12 years at the needle

Phoolmati

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Pinki, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Pinki

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Pushpa, Motif Designer at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

8 years at the needle

Pushpa

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Rajiya, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Rajiya

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Ram Devi, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Ram Devi

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Rani, Bakhiya Master at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

12 years at the needle

Rani

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Bakhiya

Portrait of Razia Sultana, Shadow Work Master at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

16 years at the needle

Razia Sultana

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Bakhiya

Portrait of Reeta, Small Motifs Specialist at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

4 years at the needle

Reeta

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Rekha, Shadow Work Specialist at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

5 years at the needle

Rekha

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Bakhiya

Portrait of Renu, Pattern Designer at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

8 years at the needle

Renu

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Rinki, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Rinki

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Roopmati, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Roopmati

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Rubi, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Rubi

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Rubina Khatoon, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Rubina Khatoon

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Rukaiya Begum, Jaali Master at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

3 years at the needle

Rukaiya Begum

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Jaali

Portrait of Sashi, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Sashi

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Savita, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Savita

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Savitri, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Savitri

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Shabana Parveen, Cutwork Specialist at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

24 years at the needle

Shabana Parveen

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Hathkati

Portrait of Shailendri, Ghaspatti Expert at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

7 years at the needle

Shailendri

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Ghas Patti

Portrait of Shalendri, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Shalendri

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Shameem, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Shameem

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Sheetal, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Sheetal

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Shilpa, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Shilpa

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Shilpi, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Shilpi

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Soni, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Soni

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Sufiya, Jaali Work Expert at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

9 years at the needle

Sufiya

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Jaali

Portrait of Sulekha, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Sulekha

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow

Portrait of Suman Kumari, Chikankari artisan at Shwet Heritage, Lucknow

Suman Kumari

Shwet Heritage SHG network, Lucknow