ECOMAX Brushes are handmade in Sri Lanka by a small family run business that prides itself on crafting beautiful, sustainable, handmade brushes whilst providing much needed employment and skills training for local women.
Alongside the main factory located in Wattala, just north of Colombo, two new factories were added in the rural area of Kurunegala. Both of these facilities provide a safe work environment featuring large, open spaces allowing adequate light and ventilation with separate dust free areas for packing.
The women are trained in each area of the brush making process from twisting the natural fibre heads to lacquering the wooden handles and all the bits in between. Combing the long shanks of raw fibre, cutting them to the correct lengths for each style of brush, trimming and finishing the final product, tying of cords and labels and finally packing them into these boxes to ship to us.
Fairtrade for Living Wages
The women artisans earn a living wage and have access to a bonus scheme to encourage progress, while additional money is also put aside for their retirement. The needs of the women are catered for throughout their working life by providing easy transitions from work at home, part-time and full-time work. These opportunities allow women like Rukmani to raise their children, care for their elderly and look after their families at all stages of their life.
When the business first started, they set out to provide employment opportunities to a group of women living in a nearby, flood prone, shanty town sandwiched between the railway line and a new express way close to Wattala.
Using some money set aside from the Fair Trade premiums paid on the ECOMAX Brushes and after extensive negotiations with local government the women and their families have now rebuilt their homes on new land that is not flood prone and with better access to facilities.
