Our Story
A Dream Sewn Over Decades
For more than twenty years, Shamam Khan quietly collected and saved every scrap of fabric she loved—patchwork rallis once used as quilts or tapestries, hand‑stitched remnants from the eastern wear she tailored on her mother’s fifty‑year‑old sewing machine, and hand‑dyed ajraks. That very machine—handed down by her mother when age made stitching too difficult—still hums in Shamam’s Karachi studio, each stitch a tribute to generations of craft and care.
From Humanitarian Work to Handmade Heritage A single mother with a master’s in sociology, Shamam spent her career with USAID and UNICEF uplifting women in Pakistan’s rural communities through education and disaster relief. Yet at home, her true passion came alive at her sewing table—transforming discarded fabrics into beauty, one stitch at a time.
Where East Meets Everyday
Canvas totes have long carried market finds in South Asian homes. On trips to New York and Berlin, Shamam watched a new generation embrace eco‑friendly totes for style and utility. She saw the chance to unite her lifelong fabric collection and her community’s traditional crafts into sustainable fashion.
A Family Mission, Hands‑On from Start to Finish With her daughter‑in‑law, Saba Akbar, encouraging every step—visiting artisans, co‑designing details, and documenting the journey—Karachi Tote Company took shape. Shamam remains hands‑on in every stitch and appliqué, combining her own saved fabrics with rescued canvas and denim from factories and neighborhood tailors. Each bag is finished in their home studio under her watchful eye. Beyond a Bag—A Movement Every tote is upcycled, every stitch intentional, and each artisan—working from her own home—earns fair wages and respect. No two bags are ever alike because they’re crafted by real hands, not machines. When you carry one of our sustainable fabric tote bags, you carry Shamam’s life’s work: a legacy of creativity, community uplift, and the belief that every scrap of fabric deserves a second life.