Sign In

Asha Vettoor

Founder at SwaraVOW - MBA candidate at Oxford - '22 Skoll Scholar - '22 Laidlaw Scholar

Asha Scaria Vettoor is the Founder and CEO of Swara - Voice of Women, an ethically made sustainable fashion brand based in India.12 She is dedicated to advancing women's financial empowerment and fostering sustainability.1 Currently, Vettoor is completing an MBA at Saïd Business School.2

Background and Education:: Vettoor holds a BSc in Statistics from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai.5 She was also a Laidlaw Scholar at Saïd Business School.3

Career and Entrepreneurial Ventures::

  • Swara - Voice of Women: Vettoor founded Swara in February 2018. The company utilizes the tailoring skills of women in rural communities, compensating them ethically and enabling them to attain skills to compete in the market.12 Swara began as a project marketed on Instagram and has grown since its inception.2
  • A28: Vettoor is also the Co-Founder of A28, which she has been a part of since July 2019.1
  • Antler: She worked as an Entrepreneur at Antler for three months, from June 2023 to August 2023.1
  • Kaivalya Education Foundation: Vettoor served as a Consultant from December 2019 to May 2020.1 She also completed the Gandhi Fellowship with the foundation from July 2016 to May 2018.1
  • UNLEASH - Innovation lab for SDGs: In November 2019, Vettoor participated in the UNLEASH Innovation lab for SDGs.1

Swara's Mission and Impact:: Swara aims for women in even the most remote parts of India to work, create, and innovate.4 The organization provides jobs with geographical proximity and flexible work schedules to balance household chores, as well as a living wage.3 During the pandemic, Swara intensified its efforts to digitally connect rural women artisans and provide access to a global market.3 Vettoor was awarded one of Google's "Digital Women Awards" in the category of Social Impact and was chosen as a Mentor at the Industry Disruptor program run by UN Women.3

Challenges and Lessons Learned:: Vettoor identifies the internal challenges, such as self-doubt, as a significant obstacle for women entrepreneurs.2 She emphasizes the importance of building female networks for collaboration and support.2

Advice for Women Entrepreneurs:: Vettoor encourages women entrepreneurs to build a strong female network.2 She was also told, "You have infinite potential. You’re only limited by your imagination".3

Languages:: Vettoor is fluent in English and Malayalam and has proficiency in Hindi, German, and Tamil.1

Highlights

Apr 26 · linkedin

Imagine models from all over the world, wearing products handcrafted by artisans in villages of India, doing a fashion show at The Oxford Union. That's this photo, we're all wearing Swara - Voice of Women! And the love we got that day.

During my time studying and working in the UK for the past couple of years, I've noticed how much people here love handcrafted stuff, especially if it's good for the environment. Folks who care about social and environmental issues are always on the lookout for products that last long, are made from recycled materials, and have a cool story behind them.

If made with the right aesthetics (minimalist, solid colours, sexy), there is a huge market here that's underserved.

Have you heard of places like Etsy, FABINDIA LIMITED or Okhai?

You probably have.

What about Sadhana?

Neither had we, until someone with an eye for hidden gems brought it to our attention.

Well, we're on a mission to uplift lesser-known artisans, especially women, who craft beautiful, ethical products by hand.

Know someone deserving?

Or an organisation that lacks the marketing budget for pretty photos, a website, or social media presence to showcase their products, but employs artisans, particularly women, at fair wages to create stunning handcrafted goods?

Share their details with us below!

P.S. Many people to thank for this photo - Princess Agina, Serene Singh, Zubin Deyal, The Serenity Project!

Ashitha S Babu, PMP®

#OxfordUnion #FashionShow #EthicalFashion #IndianHandicrafts #Handicrafts #Artisans #Artists #Fashion #SustainableFashion #IndiatoUK #ImportExport #Kerala #India #Handprint #Indigo

Feb 27 · linkedin

We're expanding our team in Kerala.

At Swara - Voice of Women, we're looking for an experienced General Manager, Marketing Manager, Design & Sourcing Manager and a Graphic Designer who can create amazing content (who loves photography, videography and editing.)

Discover more about these roles and access the application form in the comments below.

⭐

About this photo:

I recently had the privilege of visiting Kenya where this photo was taken.

I also got to see the beautiful art and craft that the place has to offer.

And the bold Kenyan women who reminded me of the resilient women I've had the honor of working with in the villages of India. Their untapped potential, energy, and care inspire me every day.

I firmly believe that integrating these often marginalized women into development initiatives is the only way we can bring creative solutions to the myriad challenges confronting our world today!

Be honest, aren't the women in your life truly creative? Empathetic? Resourceful?

#jobalerts #keralajobs #keralajobseekers #kottayam #ettumanoor

IIIT Kottayamofficial Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology, Kottayam Jobs In Kottayam Mangalam college of Engineering Saintgits College of Engineering (Autonomous) Arun Scaria Ashitha S Babu, PMP®

Related Questions

What inspired Asha Scaria Vettoor to start Swara - Voice of Women?
How has Asha's experience at the Saïd Business School influenced her entrepreneurial journey?
What are some of the biggest challenges Asha has faced while building Swara?
How does Swara ensure that the artisans and tailors are compensated ethically?
What future plans does Asha have for Swara - Voice of Women?
Asha Vettoor
Asha Vettoor, photo 1
Asha Vettoor, photo 2
Add to my network