S jo creates original, one of a kind accessories, drawing inspiration from traditional textile craftsmanship and handcrafted by artisans mainly women from villages in Pakistan. The textile jewellery – hand bound, embroidered and stitched is our signature, originated in 2011 with AGJ community by our founder, Dr Seher Mirza, a design practitioner and academic currently based at Centre for Sustainable Fashion, University for the Arts London (UAL).
S jo works through ‘Threads of the Indus’, a design-led research and development project committed to empowering village-based marginalised craft communities towards creating social change through their own agency. Central Saint Martins (UAL) textile design (weave) graduate, Seher Mirza, initiated the project in 2009/10, for her PhD by practice at the Royal College of Art, London. The products created in rigorous design workshops are a combined effort between Seher and the traditional craftswomen, a testament to their design journey together. The project is now self-funded, having worked with Sindh Rural Support Organisation (SRSO) in the past.
Concerned about the deteriorating quality of craftsmanship in traditional textile crafts in her native country, and the lack of emotional connection between maker and craft - Seher decided to address this through her own design and craft practice and started the project. S jo’s unique pieces reignite passion, excitement, and inspiration between craftswoman and her traditional craft. By encouraging creativity, design thinking, and design decision-making, it enables personal development of the women while creating a sustainable fair wage income.
The pieces are handmade collectively, through the exchange of ideas and shared craft practice, building a special relationship and journey, to form S jo, our brand.
S jo takes its name from the values it stands for. In the regional local language (Sindhi), 'jo' means 'of' or 'from', and the letter 'S' stands for our values; Social empowerment and enterprise, Solidarity, Sustainability and Stitch-craft in the region of Sindh.
