Mutwa embroidery, done by the women, is distinguished by its dense design and exceptionally fine stitches and mirror-work. Mutwa women rarely, if ever, step out of their homes even for festivities and weddings, yet their crafts tradition has transformed them from homemakers to breadwinners. The community’s tryst with embroidery as a means of income started when the late Chandaben Shroff, founder of Shrujan, a non-profit organization working with Craftswomen in Kutch, visited Banni in the early 1970s looking for Mutwa embroidery. The village was struggling in the aftermath of a severe drought, and the women were eager to take up embroidery to support their households.
