Guest Post: The Power of Your Purchase

Howdy y’all! Josh from The Kentucky Gent here, and I can’t believe that I’ve been home from my trip with Anchal Project for over a month now. But if I can be frank with you for a minute – it took me every bit of this entire month to process what I experienced, come back down from the high that was this trip, and settle back into my everyday life. 

No one could have prepared me for where I found myself mentally or physically on my first full day in India, but looking back, there’s not a single thing I would change about it. This trip was one of those experiences that I’ll look back on and cherish because it not only taught me so much about life outside my comfort zone, but also about myself as a person.

We were already well over a week into the trip before we began the workshops, and long, hot days in more than a few precarious situations had already begun to take their toll. But seeing the excitement on the artisans faces that first time we showed up for workshop prep made the two day journey to India more than worth it.

They welcomed us with opens arms and hearts full of love, excitement, and utter thanks, and getting to spend a week beside these amazing women was nothing short of amazing. 

While helping facilitate the workshops I got the chance to see how hard these women work day after day, and their pride is apparent in both the quality of their work and the smiles on their faces. It’s no secret that you get what you pay for, and the same can be said about your clothing.

Purchasing ethically sourced and produced merchandise not only supports the company from which you purchased the item, but also the individuals behind the scenes making these creations a reality. After my trip to India with Anchal Project, and seeing for myself the impact that slow fashion is having on the day-to-day life of the artisans and their families on the ground in India, I’m doing my best to shift from my fast fashion tendencies and focus on making smart investments with companies that I know and trust, and I hope that all of you will do the same.