Purnaa
Purnaa is a Nepal-based manufacturing company, collaborating with businesses around the world to produce sustainable branded merchandise like custom hats and T-shirts, tote bags, caps and even soft toys in their Fair Trade certified factory.
A commitment to responsible materials and production methods means you'll find garments made of OEKO-TEX bamboo, GOTS organic cotton and other natural fibre-based fabrics that prevent microplastics from entering our waterways. This purpose-led biz is rigorous in lowering its environmental impact: dyeing methods are water-efficient, separating chemicals from the water to reuse it; fabric scraps get recycled; food waste gets composted.
Such leadership in manufacturing has led to Purnaa receiving awards such as the 2021 U.S. Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence and the 2023 USAID Trade and Competitiveness Grant.
Purnaa isn’t just about ethical fashion though – it’s about transformation. Every stitch supports dignified jobs (paid at rates above living wages) for marginalised individuals – namely survivors of exploitation, single parents, people discriminated against due to disease, disability, caste, religion or gender and those impacted by Nepal’s challenging economic conditions.
As a zero-dividend company, Purnaa goes beyond ethical employment. The brand reinvests 100% of profits into staff welfare and wellbeing, including providing transport to allow employees to get to and from work and putting on after-school daycare for employees' children. Purnaa's Empowerment Fund also offers training, education, scholarships and counselling, as well as projects like K2K, helping to repatriate and support survivors of trafficking from India to Nepal.
This holistic ecosystem of employment and community helps people recovering from trauma or overcoming severe discrimination to change their lives for the better.
Corban and Katrina Bryant are the co-founders of Purnaa. The idea for the impact-led biz came to life in 2013, inspired by their experiences of working in South Asia, where they saw how a lack of sustainable job opportunities often drove Nepalis into unsafe, exploitative work environments. Motivated to make a difference, the Bryants set out to create a business with a mission: providing dignified, fair wage jobs.
The result was Purnaa, a social enterprise cut-and-sew factory.
Recognising the labour-intensive nature of manufacturing and by focusing on ethical production and job creation, they now empower vulnerable individuals with secure and safe employment, offering them a fresh start to lead fulfilling lives.
Founded By
Corban and Katrina Bryant