Kripa Bags Company

Living and working in Ottapalam is quite peaceful compared to the big cities. Our workshop for Kripa Bags Company is in Kappur, and it’s where we spend most of our daylight hours. Making bags isn't the most exciting work in the world, but there's a certain rhythm to the sewing machines that I find quite nice. We aren't some massive factory with thousands of employees. It’s just a handful of us here in the village. Most days, we are just surrounded by rolls of fabric, thread, and zippers. The weather in Kerala can be quite unpredictable, so when it pours, the sound on the metal roof is so loud we can barely hear ourselves talk. We usually take a break then and wait for the rain to slow down. My father used to handle things here, and now I’ve taken over the daily chores. We don't spend money on fancy advertisements because most people around here already know who we are. If someone needs a sturdy bag for their shopping or for carrying books, they just walk in and ask. We don't have a glossy catalogue to show you. You just look at what we have on the tables. It’s honest work, and it keeps us busy from Monday to Saturday. Sometimes we work late if a big order needs to go out to the town center. We just do what we can with what we have and hope the machines don't break.