Profile of CONTIGOs partner Creative Designs

Supply chain

Trading partner: Creative Designs, microenterprise
Function: Producer
Structure: Own production plant, affiliated production groups
Tradeway: Direct import CONTIGO

Products

Handcrafted silver jewellery, gold plated

Location

Jaipur, in the state of Rajasthan, India – distance from Europe: 6.100km

Founded in 2008

History

• Background: Vivek Nathany comes from a family which has always been participating in the jewellery business. His father specialised in high quality gold jewellery, his brother specialised in trading with precious stones
• He finishes his management study (MBA) and gains first working experiences in other industries
• Emigration to the U.S.A. where he gains experiences in sales and marketing, thereafter: return to Jaipur and employment at his father’s company
• 2008: Founding of his own business Creative Designs and development of his own ideas about jewellery
• 2010: Vivek Nathany conclusively returns to Jaipur
• Creative Designs is specialised in jewellery of light weight and with a personal touch. His handcrafted jewellery collection „The jewellery that speaks to you“ stands out against the common Indian heavy gold jewellery and works with a modern clean design
• For the first time he introduces the process of gold plating in Jaipur. In his father’s workshop he teaches craftsmen his knowledge of the new production techniques
• 2015: Relocation of the workshop, officespace and production under one roof
• 2020: Modernization and expansion of production, renting new premises in the industrial area Sitapura (Jaipur)

Cooperation with CONTIGO since 2016

Structure of the business

Number of employees:

• 11 permanent employees ( 2 women, 9 men) in administration, design, quality control, finishing and packaging

Cooperation with

• One subcontractor leading a group of 20 silversmiths and 3 beading ladies in Sitapura
• All production steps are carried out here except for silver casting
• Under construction: adding another group of producers, the new premises offer space for another 40 crafters
• Cooperation with 2 companies for production steps, which can not be performed in door: silver casting and the manufacture of fittings

Organisation of workforce and work environment:

• Workplace Jaipur city: Administration, showroom, design, workshop for prototypes and initial samples. Upper floor in a modern, multi-storey building, the rooms are grouped around a central atrium
• Sitapura workplace: modern commercial district with a focus on jewelry production, lots of green spaces, good city connections. Employees from the city center are brought to work by a specially rented bus. A spacious area on the ground floor with spacious workrooms was rented:
  • offices (under construction)
  • Workrooms for silversmithing, soldering, engraving, polishing with well-equipped work tables, individual spots, air conditioning
  • Workplace for “Handcrafted Jewelery”, traditional forging techniques
  • Space for gold plating processes
  • Rooms for finishing and quality control
  • Canteen in the back yard (under construction)

Working processes in the Sitapura workshop:

• Preparing the material: rolling silver bars into thin sheets and cutting decorative elements
• Surface processing by hammering, sawing, punching, soldering
• Binding of gemstones
• Gold plating, e-coating
• Polishing, matting, attaching accessories
• Finishing and assembly
• Quality control and packaging

Creative Designs does not have the equipment to produce cast jewellery elements. This production step is not conducted in the workshop.

 

Sales

• Export (95% ) to the U.S.A., France, Belgium, Great Britain, Japan, Australia, Germany
• Home market (5%)

Goals

• To preserve and further develop the traditional jewellery craft. New focus on modern demands: contemporary and individual styles.
• To develop and strengthen the own brand in India
• To expand the production, cooperation with more producer groups

Special features

• Cooperation with – and financial support through – charity organizations, which take care for orphans, disabled people and people with neurological complaints

Why does CONTIGO work with Creative Designs: Focus on innovative design, quality-orientated and reliable. With passion for the craft and high responsibility for the team.

 

Fairtrade classification

FTA = Fairtrade Approved

 

Fairtrade aspects

Creative Designs complies with following Fairtrade Principles:

No child labour

No discrimination

No discrimination due to gender, disability, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, political orientation, or infection with HIV.

Fair wages

• Minimum wage in the state of Rajasthan: (INR = Indian rupee)
  • Un-skilled worker: INR 5,850/month
  • Semi-skilled worker: INR 6,162/month
  • Skilled worker: INR 6,474/month
• Wages at Creative Designs are above average
  • Permanent employees: INR 10,000 – 20,000 / month, fixed salary plus bonuses: depending on performance and length of service
  • In production:
    • Unskilled (helpers): INR 5,850
    • Semi skilled workers INR 6,500 – 8,000 / month
    • Skilled workers: INR 10,000 an above / month
    • Agreed piece wages (depending on the level of difficulty and time required)
• Monthly transfer to own bank accounts (all employees)
• Bonus payment for the Diwali Festival (all employees)
• Transport allowance (all employees)

Humane working conditions

Working hours:

• 8,5 hours/day
• 2 breaks
• 6 days/week

Social benefits for permanent staff:

• Paid holidays (15 days)
• Continued payment of wage in case of sickness or accident
• Contributions to health insurance ESI (=Employee State Insurance), employer pays 4.75% and employee 1.75% of monthly gross wage, the whole family of the employee is covered

Social benefits for piece rate staff

• Paid holidays (15 days)
• Contributions to health insurance ESI (=Employee State Insurance), employer pays 4.75% and employee 1.75% of monthly gross wage, the whole family of the employee is covered
• Contribution to PF (provident fund)

Educational opportunities:

• Intense initial training
• Further education and on the job training
• Health and safety training

Occupational safety:

• Protective clothing (eye and mouth protection), fresh drinking water
• Fire protection devices, first aid equipment, modern sanitary facilities

 

Transparency

• Work contracts are available
• Pay slips are available
• SAR (Self Assessment Report) was duly submitted to CONTIGO

 

Monitoring

• Personal visits in Jaipur (2017, 2020)

 

Country information

See Encyclopaedia Britannica: India

 

Photos