Shailja Sachan

CEO

Gurugram, Haryana, India7 yrs 9 mos experience

Most Likely To SwitchHighly Stable

Key Highlights

Expert in sustainable fashion and ethical craft engagement.
Led significant fundraising initiatives for creative businesses.
Bridges traditional craft knowledge with contemporary design.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a leader in sustainable fashion and creative cultural economies.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Social Impact StrategyStrategic PartnershipsResearchCreative DirectionDesign ResearchFashion DesignTextile Design

Other Skills

FundraisingCreative WritingWritingResearch CollaborationSustainable FashionDesign conceptualisationCommunity OutreachNon-profit Program DevelopmentCreative StrategyAdobe Creative SuiteLuxury GoodsEmbroideryMarket ResearchMerchandisingTrend Analysis

About

Shailja Sachan works at the intersection of craft, culture, and climate action—exploring how creative- cultural economies can drive climate resilience, gender equity, and social inclusion. With 8 years of experience in the handmade sector, she leads partnerships and sustainability at 200 Million Artisans, and independently consults with international and national businesses on ethical craft engagement. Her work examines craft not just as cultural heritage, but as a framework for regenerative systems and inclusive growth. Her practice spans design strategy, research, and ecosystem-building—bridging traditional craft knowledge with contemporary approaches to sustainable development and responsible innovation. An eternal champion of solutions rooted in creativity, culture, and co-existence, she brings an interdisciplinary lens to reimagining the future of making. Her focus areas include: Collaborative ecosystems for the creative economy, inclusive finance, regenerative business models, and responsible innovation—all anchored in building bridges between diverse communities and values for the future .

Experience

200 million artisans

2 roles

Lead- Sustainability and Partnerships

Promoted

Aug 2023 – Present · 2 yrs 8 mos

Fundraised $130,000 for Kula Innovate, securing catalytic capital to support 18 creative businesses which focused on R&D (circular/sustainable materials, inclusive supply chains, clean energy alternatives) within the creative manufacturing value chain.
Successfully raised $90,000 for the Kula Conclave through mission-aligned impact investment firms, international creative and cultural promotion organisations, corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, and individual donors.
Forged strategic partnerships with funders, CSR initiatives, impact investment firms, and academic institutions globally and in India, driving collaboration for Kula Innovate and Kula Conclave.
Initiated and executed 30+ partnership proposals, engaging key stakeholders to create meaningful alliances and funding opportunities for Kula Innovate and Kula Conclave.

FundraisingSocial Impact StrategyStrategic Partnerships

Research Associate

Oct 2021 – Dec 2023 · 2 yrs 2 mos

Business of Handmade-2
Led desk research to deepen insights on Catalytic Capital, and its role the Creative Manufacturing and Handmade sectors, conducting extensive interviews with 70+ investors, ecosystem actors, founders and analysing investment trends.
Conceptualised and executed India’s largest quantitative study on the financing needs of 500+ craft-led enterprises, visualising data and contributing key sections to the final report highlighting the sector's economic significance.
Decoding Sustainable Fashion in India – Centre for Sustainable Fashion, LCF
Investigated Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices among eight sustainable fashion MSMEs in India, documenting sustainability initiatives and sectoral challenges.
Provided strategic insights on East-West collaboration for global environmental solutions, emphasising the role of Indian enterprises in sustainable fashion innovation.
Kula Conclave
Conceptualised and curated a pioneering an inclusive finance and networking conclave focused on impact-led creative and cultural enterprises, bringing together stakeholders from investment, academia, policy, and craft sectors.

Creative WritingWritingResearch CollaborationResearch

Zazi vintage

Craft and Design Consultant

Sep 2021 – May 2024 · 2 yrs 8 mos · India · Hybrid

Coordinated and established connections with over 10 artisanal communities for the development of a seasonal capsule womenswear collection for Zazi.
Led the end-to-end co-creation process, starting from the initial conceptualisation, sourcing and authenticating raw materials, conducting sampling, making design tweaks, and overseeing the final product development.
Co-planned the upcoming women-specific foundation at Zazi, focused on addressing opportunity, pay, and market access gaps experienced by women in indigenous communities.

Design conceptualisationDesign ResearchCommunity Outreach

#creativedignity

Lead- Craft Design Lab

Aug 2021 – Apr 2023 · 1 yr 8 mos · India · Hybrid

Designed and implemented the Artisan Direct Showcase, a tech-enabled platform connecting 400+ artisans with 120+ professional buyers, streamlining direct market access and optimising buyer-artisan collaboration.
Developed and executed corporate and international partnership strategies for the CD network, expanding global market reach and securing sustainable funding for artisan-led initiatives.
Conceptualised and operationalised a contextual design mentorship programme, establishing strategic market access channels and impacting 350 artisans in its inaugural year.
Led the design and execution of a comprehensive needs assessment for e-commerce partner Havona, identifying value chain challenges across 12+ artisanal clusters in India and shaping future interventions.
Scoped and implemented CD’s holistic artisan enterprise development programme, collaborating with 75+ tribal women in rural Karnataka to drive sustainable livelihoods.
Strategised and managed a large-scale art curation project for a corporate partner, coordinating efforts across 16 states and reinterpreting 35+ traditional art forms for contemporary markets.

Social Impact StrategyDesign ResearchNon-profit Program DevelopmentCreative Strategy

Self-employed

Fashion l Home l Lifestyle Product Design Consultant

Jun 2020 – Present · 5 yrs 10 mos · Delhi, India · On-site

Offering end-to-end design and production services for ethically made, sustainable, and craft-based fashion, home, and lifestyle products.
Have collaborated with 10+ international ethical fashion and home brands so far, providing creative direction, collection design, merchandising, sourcing, and curation services.
Leveraging access to 300+ Indian craft forms, integrating traditional artistry with contemporary design to create globally relevant, high-impact products.

Sustainable FashionCreative DirectionTextile DesignDesign conceptualisationDesign Research

Ajanta fashions

Senior Designer

Aug 2019 – May 2020 · 9 mos · Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Conceptualised and developed the SS20 outerwear collection, aligning design vision with market trends and brand identity.
Directed product styling for editorial shoots and managed high-visibility celebrity collaborations to enhance brand positioning.
Led product presentations for domestic and international buyers, securing placements in key markets like Dubai and Hong Kong and on prominent online platforms such as Nykaa Fashion and Pernia’s Pop-Up Shop.
Oversaw customised design requisitions from concept to completion, translating client briefs into distinctive, high-quality products through meticulous sourcing and execution.

Adobe Creative SuiteWritingFashion Design

Marsil exports

Embroidery/Textile Developer

Jun 2018 – Aug 2019 · 1 yr 2 mos · Mumbai, Maharashtra, India · On-site

Developed seasonal embroidery, print, and fabric manipulation swatches aligned with trend forecasts, catering to Italian and French luxury fashion houses for couture and ready-to-wear collections.
Collaborated closely with Maison designers and artisans to translate creative visions into intricate surface embellishments, ensuring design alignment, quality, and feasibility within time and cost constraints.
Interpreted client briefs into distinctive handwork techniques and embroidery, adapting runway styles into commercial ready-to-wear versions while conducting market research to meet brand-specific needs.

Adobe Creative SuiteCreative WritingLuxury GoodsTextile DesignEmbroidery

Vf corporation

Fashion Design Intern

Jun 2017 – Aug 2017 · 2 mos · Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Adobe Creative Suite

nift mumbai/mphsvn

Craft Researcher

Jun 2016 – Nov 2016 · 5 mos · Madhya Pradesh, India · Hybrid

Conducted in-depth primary research to document the indigenous weaving process of Sausar, mapping opportunities, challenges, the declining weaver population, and associated risks; published a comprehensive report for future research and reference.
Developed and implemented a product development, visual merchandising, and marketing strategy in collaboration with key stakeholders and the governing body, resulting in increased customer awareness, higher in-store and online sales.

Adobe Creative SuiteCreative WritingResearch