Social Enterprises: Retail

Aarong is one of the most unique heritage brands for retail clothing, linen, shoes, accessories and home decor products in Bangladesh. Set up in 1978 as a fair trade organisation by BRAC, Aarong plays a crucial role in promoting local crafts.

In the Bengali language, "Aarong" means a village fair. Aarong currently supports over 65,000 Bangladeshi artisans, 85% of whom are women. Through a network of 647 production sub-centres and 13 production centres, Aarong has developed into a platform for underprivileged artisans across more than 2,000 villages where they can utilise their indigenous skills to earn a living.

Aarong works in collaboration with the Ayesha Abed Foundation, which provides the artisans with centres where they can create crafts and products to be sold in Aarong stores. Additionally, thousands of independent artisans and their families earn their livelihood through the support of Aarong.

Aarong's mission is to help sustain rural craftsmanship, and find a wider market for these products nationally and internationally. Aarong specialties include Nakshi Kantha (a traditional form of embroidery rooted to the core of Bangladeshi village women) and Jamdani sarees. Other products include pottery, candles, leather, hand woven cloth, silk products, jewellery, crafts made from brass, jute and wood, as well as a wide variety of trendy yet indigenous products.

Website: www.brac-aarong.com

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