About >Paisley Valley

Mission: Our mission is to provide significant and sustainable support to the cooperatives that are improving lives in the Kashmiri Valley.

The idea for Paisley Valley was conceived by a director of a cooperative in Kashmir who realized that the most effective means to support their ability to advance their noble efforts is through increased trade. Paisley Valley builds upon the success of the cooperatives that have had an excellent track record of social service, and helps them by marketing their goods outside of Kashmir, thus providing an entirely new market for them.

As one would expect, this enables the cooperatives to sell more items, which of course provides more income. What is important to note is that through Paisley Valley the income per item the cooperatives receive is far higher than what they get through conventional distribution. So they sell more, and sell at a higher price.

With each product sold, real lives are affected positively. The Fair Trade movement has grown significantly and as a result awareness of the impact it can have on people’s lives has grown as well. We hope that this initiative will prove to be one which helps to improve people’s lives by giving them hope and opportunities that might otherwise be difficult to come by.

The work that the cooperatives are doing in Kashmir, and similar organizations around the world, are a source of inspiration for all those who seek proactive solutions to challenges the destitute are facing. We encourage everyone to support organizations, wherever they may be, that seek to empower individuals and families through employment and training. The most effective support they can receive is by purchasing their items.

The name: ‘Paisley’ refers to the internationally known design that Kashmiri artisans introduced to the world. And 'Valley' is of course a reference to the Kashmiri Valley where the cooperatives are based.