Ranay Apperals

Our workshop is on the first floor at number 14 in Muthu Nagar, Sengunthapuram. This area is full of textile businesses, so the sound of sewing machines is basically the soundtrack to our day. When you walk up the stairs, you can usually smell the fabric and the steam from the irons. We have rows of machines and tables piled high with different colored cloths. It’s a bit of a mess sometimes, with threads on the floor and scraps of fabric everywhere, but that’s just how a garment place looks when it’s busy. We don’t have a fancy showroom; we just have our workspace where the actual cutting and stitching happen. The lighting is bright so the tailors can see their stitches clearly. We usually have the radio playing some local songs to keep the energy up while we work. It’s hot in the afternoons, but we have a few big fans that move the air around. Most of us have been working with fabric for most of our lives, so we don't really need to think too much about the movements anymore. We just pick up the next piece and keep going until the bundle is finished. It’s honest work and we take a certain pride in seeing a flat piece of cloth turn into a finished shirt or dress by the end of the shift.