Everything Under The Sun: Repairing Lives One Sewing Machine At A Time

Two of the styles available at Elegantees.

Based in New York, is a fashion company that makes a difference. Katie Martinez, a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology founded ELAGANTEES and then became partners with a nonprofit, based in NY, that works with victims of sex trafficking.

Once these women are rescued and no longer engaged in the sex industry, they need some sort of skill in order to be able to make a living. Elagantees provides the women with sewing machines, teaches them how to make the company's elegant tee shirts, so they now have a skilled trade. Then the women are employed as independent contractors by the company and are paid at twice the rate of other similar sewing jobs. The women can then work near their homes, where they feel more comfortable, and earn a living wage, able to afford more than just the basics.

Katie stated, "Women rescued from sex trafficking sometimes end up relying on the help of kind people so they can survive. We want to give them an opportunity and consistency so they can let go of their survival mode, and just enjoy and heal completely from their past." Getting past survival mode also has the benefit of reducing the stress and pressure that the women were under while being unwilling participants in the sex trade.

Elangantees' work with women and children in Nepal led to the creation of Kingdom Hope Garments. Demand for Elangantees clothing is now more than the minimum required for the sewing center's operations. With the addition of new styles, it can take longer for the center to finish a garment, as well. Various social ambassadors are spreading the word about the garments and the styles available, and Elegantees has now become available in Mexico.

The inside of Kingdom Hope Garments.

Four team members run operations in NY, all with a passion to free the women enslaved in the sex trade. The company itself has journeyed through six years of operation, the first five of which saw no profits. Only ten months ago, there was a fuel crisis in Nepal, which affected operations at the sewing center. Then, all of a sudden, India lifted the fuel blockade, which had limited the available fuel supplies. At the same time, demand for Elegantees' garment also rose. Suddenly, the existing garment center was too small. With assistance, the sewing center grew by triple its original size. More women could be hired, and a total of 25 women now have work. Is it too much to ask that the center expands to double what it is now, to employ 50 women? Only the crystal ball knows, but hope abounds for the future this year.