Swastik Garments

Our workshop is at 105 in the Albert D'souza Chawl on St. Francis Road, right there in Vile Parle West. Being so close to the Milan Subway means the sound of the trains and the cars is something we are just used to hearing every day. The place is inside a chawl building, so it’s a bit of a tight squeeze and the ceiling is quite low. We have our sewing machines set up along the walls to handle all the garment work. It’s a very busy spot. When the fabric arrives in those big heavy bundles, we just have to stack them wherever we can find a spare corner. It gets really crowded when everyone is in and working at the same time. You’ll always find bits of thread all over the floor and the hiss of the steam iron never seems to stop. We try to keep the windows open for a breeze, but the subway noise is always right there. Most of the day is just spent cutting patterns and stitching things together. We don't have a fancy entrance or any kind of reception area. If you come by, you’ll just see us right there at our stations. We usually take our tea breaks out on the walkway for some air. This setup is simple but it works for what we need. We’ve been in this location for a long time since it’s convenient for the station and the trucks.