MOTIVATION｜Meeting Women Who Speak of Their Hometowns Through Embroidery Leads to a Career in Social Business

　After entering university, Ms. Date was fascinated by India and began to visit local NGO organizations frequently. They were protecting Indian women who had been trafficked to work as prostitutes or were victims of domestic violence, and providing them with vocational training in handicrafts. Ms. Date, who had always loved fashion and once organized a show at a school festival with her friends, thought that by holding a fashion show and having Indian women showcase the clothes they made themselves, she could raise their self-esteem and motivation. After entering graduate school, she took the opportunity to study abroad in India for six months and actually collaborated with a local NGO to hold the show. It was during these activities that she came across Indian embroidery. She was deeply moved by the way women who had experienced hardships said that embroidery reminded them of their hometowns and made them nostalgic for their homelands. Indian embroidery has different colors and patterns depending on the region, showing the individuality of the region. I became interested in such embroidery. After returning from her study abroad, she won a student business contest. With the prize money and Indian embroidery fabrics she collected during her study abroad, she began making clothes and taking orders, and upon completion of graduate school, she launched Itobanashi Co.

ツナガリ｜作り手に寄り添い、信頼関係を築く

　株式会社イトバナシは現在、インドのカシミール、コルカタ、ラクノーというの3つの地域から刺繍生地を仕入れている。ファッションショーを開催した際に知り合った現地の方にガイドを頼み、刺繍が有名な地域の聞き込みをしたり、信頼できそうな職人さんや団体との繋がりがもてるまで何日もその地域に滞在したという。最初は、出来ると言われたものができなかったり、納期に間に合わなかったりといった契約の失敗もあったそうだが、時間をかけて信頼できる人を探し出した。itobanashiの場合、買取価格は現地のバイヤーの1.５倍から2倍と高く、職人さんの生活環境に合わせた納期の方法をとっている。その分難易度の高い刺繍の模様をオーダーしているそうだが、インドの職人さん達も、海外に出すものを作るということでモチベーションも高いのだそう。伊達さんたちは日本のお客さんの様子をインドの職人さん達へ写真で送るなどして、信頼関係を築いていくことを大切にしている。

ECOSYSTEM｜Build a relationship of trust by staying close to the creator.

　Itobanasi Co., Ltd. currently sources embroidery fabrics from three regions in India: Kashmir, Kolkata, and Lucknow. They asked local people they met when they held a fashion show to be their guide, and spent many days in the areas famous for embroidery until they made connections with artisans and organizations that they could trust. At first, there were some contractual failures, such as not being able to produce what they were told they could, or not being able to meet deadlines, but they took their time to find reliable people. itobanashi's purchase price is 1.5 to 2 times higher than that of local buyers, and they use a delivery method that suits the living environment of the artisans. The company also has a delivery time method that is tailored to the living conditions of the craftspeople. For this reason, they order embroidery patterns with a high degree of difficulty, and the Indian craftsmen are highly motivated by the fact that they are making items to be sent overseas. Ms. Date and his staff send photos of their Japanese customers to the Indian craftsmen to build a relationship of trust with them.

コツ｜出来ることから着実にやる

「どうやったらその目的を達成できるかをすごく考えている。」と伊達さんは言う。起業にしろ、インドで職人さんを見つけるにしろ、スキルや経験はなかったが、自分でやると決めたことは、ありとあらゆる手段や人脈を使って何とか達成しようとしてきたそうだ。うまくいかなくても、自分の意思でやったことであれば他人に決められるよりも断然良い。そして、やれることを粛々とやっていくこと。「計画とか戦略を立てることは苦手なんです。でも、問題にぶち当たった時にとにかく解決する力は強みだと思っています。もしかしたらインドに何度も行ったことで、ピンチに即刻対応する力が身についたのかも。」と伊達さんは笑って話してくれた。自分がやると決めたことに向けて行動し、前に進んでいくことが伊達さんの活動の秘訣なのだ。

TIPS｜Start with what you can do and work your way

"I'm really thinking about how to accomplish that goal." says Date. Whether it was starting a business or finding a craftsman in India, she did not have the skills or experience to do it herself, but she used every means and network she could find to accomplish what she set out to do. Even if it doesn't work out, it is definitely better to do something on your own initiative than to have someone else make the decision for you. And, you have to do what you can do. " I'm not very good at planning or strategizing. But I think my strength lies in my ability to solve problems when I run into them. Perhaps my many trips to India have given me the ability to respond immediately in a pinch." Ms. Date said with a smile. The secret of Ms. Date's activities is to act on what he decides to do and keep moving forward.

コレカラ｜作り手も使い手も、そして地域も豊かにする

　イトバナシのスローガンは「作る人と使う人の暮らしを豊かに」である。自分たちも含め、インドの刺繍職人さんや途上国の手仕事に携わる人々の地位を向上し、作り手に思いを馳せられるような商品の届け方をしていきたいという。そして同時に、とにかく地域で仕事を生み出すこと。奈良や広島などの地域で仕事を生み出し、若者たちが仕事を得て、地域で暮らすことへのハードルを下げることが直近の目標ということだ。そして最終的には、「いろいろな地域がつながるようなコミュニティをつくりたい」と楽しそうに語ってくれた。いろいろな地域がつながり、その場所に関わることで、その人の人生が広がるようなコミュニティ。インドや発展途上国、日本の広島や奈良。国や地域を超えて、衣食住に活動を広げているイトバナシが、その夢を叶える日は、案外そう遠くないのかもしれない。

FOR THE FUTURE｜Enriching the maker, the user, and the community

　The slogan of Itbanashi is "enriching the lives of those who make and use our products." They want to improve the status of Indian embroidery artisans and people involved in handicrafts in developing countries, including themselves, and to deliver products in a way that makes people think about their makers. And at the same time, to create jobs in the region anyway. Her immediate goal is to create jobs in areas such as Nara and Hiroshima, and to lower the hurdles for young people to get jobs and live in the region. Ultimately, she said happily, "I want to create a community that connects various regions."
A community where various communities are connected and where a person's life can expand through his or her involvement in that place. India and developing countries, Hiroshima and Nara in Japan. It may not be long before Itobanashi, who is expanding her activities beyond countries and regions to include food, clothing, and shelter, makes her dream come true.