Jewelry brand hires blind workers to create designs with sense of smell

Made In The Dark is a UK project that is helping to integrate blind people in India into society with a unique method for manufacturing jewelry.

Deaf workers make up the core of the staff at the Atfaluna restaurant in the Gaza Strip, and now another business is making an effort to integrate those with sight problems into society. Made In The Dark is a jewelry brand enabling blind women in India to create designs using their sense of smell. Created through a collaboration between three Royal College of Art students in the UK and two students from the National Institute of Design in India, the initiative is working with the Blind People’s Association and the Andh Kanya School in India to find blind women work making handcrafted jewelry designs. Made In The Dark uses scented beads so that the women can identify which colors they are using and alter their designs accordingly. The creations are then sold to ethical retailers to appeal to the growing market of progressive middle class women in India. Considering that there are 15 million people with sight problems in the country – and that many blind people fully trained in craftwork still struggle to find sustainable jobs – Made In The Dark could help improve quality of life by providing a platform for those with existing talent, while also teaching them new skills and raising awareness of the blind community. Are there other ways to help disadvantaged people show off their skills in the business world? Spotted by: Katharina Kleck