About

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We are an award-winning ethical accessories company producing timeless, classically handcrafted leather and silk products for men and women. Our collections are created in Kolkata, West Bengal, and hand finished and uniquely customised in the UK using our bespoke, in-house personalisation service.

The East Indian ‘City of Culture’ is close to our heart and today, this incredible city’s population exceeds 14 million and poverty is a major problem for a great many of its inhabitants.  We want to help.

Completely committed to our sustainable business model, the promotion of age-old artisan skills, creating jobs and empowering those involved in the production of our collections; the products we sell make a positive difference to people’s lives.

We are extremely proud of our Indian producers. Adhering to ethical business practices and being accredited by international bodies, which they are, is of course essential, but it is their genuine warmth and positivity that truly inspires us. More than just business partners; they feel like family.

Our products are unique in design but also, and crucially, in the story behind them. We don’t ask that you compromise your social or style standards. We wouldn’t. We quite simply bring you an ethical alternative to the things you love and an opportunity to contribute to brighter, more secure future for those who deserve it the most.

We hope you love our products as much as we do.

Thank you for your support.

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Naomi Cornelius-Reid
Founder

NV London Calcutta is proud winner of Notonthehighstreet.com’s Make Award for Community Contribution & The Ethical Fashion Forum’s Supplier Innovation Award.

A couple of reasons why we love our manufacturer so much…

  • They are a founding member of the Fair Trade Forum India and a member of the World Fair Trade Organization.
  • In a male dominated society, they have a woman in charge. She’s incredible.
  • They operate on a not for profit basis, meaning all money is ploughed directly back into the workers. All employees have the option to vote into the company pension scheme for later life. Amazing.
  • Everyone is encouraged to learn new skills and develop their careers.
  • They partner and support over 30 grass roots producer groups, many rurally based, providing an important source of income to the individuals and their families whilst sustaining and nurturing their age-old artisan skills.
  • All materials are locally sourced in West Bengal and of the highest possible quality.
  • Everyone is treated as equal; one of the packing team is the only counter signatory to the MD.
  • Every woman in our Quality Control room was chosen not only because of her skill but because she is the only bread winner in the family. The majority are widowed and support the entire extended family single handedly.
  • There is an amazing team spirit and working environment- the yearly, subsidised, company away week, where all HQ employees travel to the coast or mountains to sing, dance and relax together must be something to do with it.

 

The Velvet Collection was introduced to celebrate our 10th anniversary year.

We have long been thinking that we should spread a little NV love and positivity closer to home, here in the UK. So we looked for a British based company to source our newest product. Somewhere to call home, basic security and food to eat is something which we feel everyone should be entitled to and something we feel passionately about. So it felt just right when we decided on velvet cushions as our new addition. Not only is velvet perfect for personalisation but cushions are symbols of home and the security and comfort having one brings.  For every cushion sold we give £1 to The St Martin-in-the-Fields Appeal and £1 to our local Trussell Trust Foodbank. We really believe in the work that these two fantastic charities do to combat homelessness and help those in crisis. We are proud to be able to support them and we hope you will be too.