ATHWELA MARKETPLACE

Today on Buzz with Danu, I spotlight a marketplace that’s doing more than just selling products—it's selling purpose. Athwela Marketplace brings together Sri Lankan artisans, survivors, and change-makers to create sustainable, meaningful products that empower communities and protect our planet. It's not just commerce—it’s conscious living. Let's dive into the story behind this inspiring initiative Athwela Marketplace: Where Community, Craft and Climate Converge.

- 

An interview with the team behind Grassrooted Trust's latest initiative

Q: ATHWELA MARKETPLACE CHAMPIONS SUSTAINABILITY AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT. WHAT PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OR INSPIRATIONS LED YOU TO CREATE A PLATFORM WITH SUCH A DEEP COMMITMENT TO BOTH PEOPLE AND THE PLANET?

While Athwela Marketplace is a new initiative, the philosophy behind it has always been central to our work at Grassrooted. We've long believed in identifying people with talent and connecting them with markets that value and respect that skill. This marketplace simply gives structure to that ethos.

We are fundamentally against the concept of the one-time-pity-buy—a substandard product purchased out of sympathy, with no real intention to return. At Athwela, we co-create with artisans, cottage industries, and artists to develop products that are exceptional in quality—products that they can be proud of, and that deserve a fair wage.

When it comes to our planet, we're out of time for complacency. 2023 was the hottest year on record—until 2024 broke that record again. Unless we act collectively and urgently, our tomorrows are in real jeopardy. Athwela is one of our ways of responding.

Q: HOW DO YOU BALANCE TRADITIONAL SRI LANKAN CRAFTSMANSHIP WITH THE DEMANDS OF A MODERN, ECO-CONSCIOUS MARKET?

Sri Lankan artisans are brilliant. Many are already adapting to environmental concerns in inspiring ways—shifting from traditional batik to eco-batik, developing plastic-free packaging, and reintroducing sustainable materials into everyday commerce.

That said, we do face resistance. Vendors are often caught between tradition and customer demand. Consumers still request single-use plastics for convenience—be it for their thambili straw or mallung wrap.

So we ask: does this eco-conscious market truly exist, or is it something we still need to cultivate more deeply?