Bags with a Better Story: The Numo & Work+Shelter Collab

Durable, Stylish, and Ethically Made

The promotional products world is always changing, and lately, everyone wants items that are more than just functional. Clients aren’t just looking for another free giveaway, they are looking for something with impact, real story, and purpose. At Numo, we love high-quality and finding sustainable options. That's why we're so excited about our new collaboration: Organic Cotton Canvas Tote Bags made in partnership with Work+Shelter.

This isn't just another tote or another partnership. Work+Shelter is doing something truly special, transforming lives with their ethical manufacturing. In a crowded market, their model really stands out, offering a meaningful choice for those who want their products to make a difference. Their incredible story, combined with our unique decorating skills, gives distributors and businesses a chance to offer something different that their clients will actually connect with.

Employees of Work+Shelter

A Mission with Impact

Meet Theresa VanderMeer, the heart and brains behind Work+Shelter. At just 25, Theresa followed her passion to help women in India earn a living by learning a skill. She started small, selling handmade goods made by the women, at local markets. But that little start grew into a full-blown cut-and-sew operation in Delhi, India, all about empowering women.

As Theresa puts it, “At Work+Shelter [they] don't have to be skilled, we pay [them] to learn. That’s foundational to our mission. Because if these women were skilled, they’d have a job. We give them a chance, an opportunity.” This long-term commitment to training is key to how they provide that opportunity. “It’s giving them a life-long skill.”

Theresa VanderMeer and Women of Work+Shelter

Work + Shelter has grown into more than just a manufacturer using sustainable materials; it is an ethical haven where women facing tough times could learn a skill, earn fair wages, and build stable lives. This was a game-changer in a country where women often deal with harassment, low pay, and unsafe work conditions.

Theresa explains, “Many of the women we work with are struggling with extreme hardship at home – food insecurity, domestic violence, and reproductive coercion. For them our production center is so much more than work – it’s a refuge.”

Scaling Work + Shelter from small sales to large B2B orders presented various challenges, including implementing quality control and introducing electric sewing machines, which Theresa humorously recalls were initially met with resistance: “They refused, refused, refused to use it. They said, ‘Maybe American women can use these, but not us. It’s too noisy and too fast.’” But with time, adaptation, and trust, the company grew stronger.

Alongside these operational hurdles, Theresa found powerful motivation in the direct impact the organization had on the women's lives. “What [also] kept me motivated so early on was that the feedback loop of impact was incredibly powerful,” recalled Theresa. “One of the first women who worked for us, I didn’t think had a need. At the time I only wanted to offer work to women who were “besahara”, which means destitute. This woman’s husband worked as a rickshaw driver, but we gave her a job regardless. It wasn’t until after she began working for us that we learned about her husband’s physically abusive behavior and the impact Work+Shelter was having on her. It was then I decided that it was not my business why they want to work here. If they want to work it’s because they need the work.” These early experiences profoundly influenced Work + Shelter's inclusive ethos.

A Work+Shelter employee sewing the Numo Canvas Tote Bags

Building a Better Future

Work+Shelter’s model is all about making a real difference through ethical production. By employing women facing big challenges in their own North Delhi community, they’re not just making products; they’re building independence and creating better futures for themselves and their families. “Safety is a super, super major concern especially in North India… it's just not safe for them to travel far, it's not safe for them to work at a lot of other companies,” explains Theresa. Work+Shelter offers a safe and supportive space, with female leadership and where the women can travel together for safety in numbers.

Through the years, the company has grown to supply businesses and many non-profits with eco-friendly products, such as tote bags, t-shirts, aprons, blazers and more, worldwide. Its commitment to sustainability is “woven into every aspect of what we do.” As the Work+Shelter site states, “We source organic, recycled, and upcycled materials (over 20k meters in 2024) and utilize a trusted supply chain, ensuring our products are kind to the planet and the women who make them.”

For the women who join, Work+Shelter is their first step into a direction of hope for themselves, causing a ripple effect to their families and communities. “Coming from backgrounds where opportunities are scarce and doors are often closed, we’re here to provide that crucial “foot in the door” to a brighter future,” shares Theresa. When companies choose products from Work+Shelter, they’re directly contributing to this positive ripple effect. Distributors aren’t just getting another tote bag or pouch, they’re becoming part of an empowering story that today’s conscious consumers are yearning to be part of.

The Partnership: Organic Cotton Tote Bags

For Numo, teaming up with Work+Shelter was a natural fit. Their incredible story and ethical approach really resonated with us and we saw a fantastic chance to introduce their amazing products and story to the promotional market. Work+Shelter’s long-standing commitment to sustainable materials, even when it was tough, is part of what makes them special in our field. As Theresa puts it, “having spent these years in India and watching the environment get to aggregate visibly decreasing in quality year by year… it really sunk in for me that we can't be participating in this, it doesn't make sense.” Now, they source over 90% of their materials sustainably.

Our collaboration brings you beautifully crafted organic cotton canvas tote bags that go beyond function—they tell a story of empowerment. When your clients pick these bags, they're backing a business that puts people and the planet first. As Work+Shelter says, their whole reason for being is to make a positive impact, and that shines through in every bag.

What does this mean for you, our distributors? It means access to compelling organic cotton canvas tote bags, backed by Numo’s decorating expertise for smooth, easy, and beautiful orders. These ethically made totes are perfect for any promo campaign, with customization options for any branding need.

Work+Shelter Organic Cotton Canvas Totes in the Shamwow Shape

It’s a win-win: Work+Shelter’s inspiring mission and top-notch quality, combined with Numo’s reliable service and decoration skills, gives you a standout product with real value and a meaningful story your clients will love to share.

The Organic Cotton Canvas Bags from Work + Shelter will debut late Spring 2025. Be sure to join our Numo email list to stay atop this and other releases ⤵

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