From The Beggining... 

Clara Jackson first went out to India in 2016 to volunteer with charity Calcutta Rescue in Kolkata.

Founded by legendary UK doctor Jack Preger, who started working with the poorest of the poor in the city in 1979, the charity provides free healthcare, education and other support for thousands of the city’s most deprived people.

One of its projects is a fair-trade accredited handicraft workshop and training centre for ex-students and former patients who would otherwise have great difficulty finding employment.

It was here that Clara, a jewellery designer from London, came to work.  

She wanted to share her knowledge of design and to develop the skills of staff to create design-led products that would offer a unique ethical alternative to the high-street.

After several months of designing, sourcing materials and testing, it was clear that Clara’s partnership with the charity was flourishing and she decided to invest her time and savings into creating Koko Collective.

Koko Collective’s long-term aim is to help the artisans of Calcutta Rescue create a sustainable work and supply chain which will provide rewarding work for more people.

We also hope to partner with other fair-trade organisations that share our vision in providing conscious, transparent and ethically traded goods that benefit marginalised people in the developing world.