IVillage A Family, by Aryah Vaibhhav Mahajan, is a women-led manufacturing and social enterprise that shows what is possible when rural women are viewed not as beneficiaries, but as a trained, paid, and respected workforce in a serious business.
This is the story of how IVillage made invisible work visible and integrated manufacturing, and why discipline makes an impact sustainable.
How IVILLAGE started
Aryah was raised witnessing something that most people considered normal.
Rural women were skilled, disciplined, and ready to work, but their work remained informal, underpaid, and invisible. Export and manufacturing supply chains often subcontracted handwork to women working from home at exploitative wages, without training, job security, or recognition.
There was work.
Demand existed.
What did not exist was a system that recognized the value of women’s labor in the same way that any factory floor would.
“Charity models never felt like the answer.”
IVillage was founded on a firm principle: that impact can only be achieved if the business itself is sound.
What IVillage Does
IVillage A Family produces high-quality, sustainable fabric bags and utility-based products for:
- Corporates and institutions (B2B)
- Conscious consumers (B2C)
The firm operates to cater to clients not only in India but also in international markets such as the UK and Europe.
For B2B customers, IVillage offers reliable manufacturing, consistent quality, and products that improve brand recall and ESG objectives.
For consumers it is about well-designed, reusable products with a measurable social impact
How IVillage Began on the Ground
It was almost a decade ago that the area where the production facility of IVillage is located today had no industry in a 50-kilometer radius. Women wanted to work but not from home, not at exploitative wages, and not without dignity. Aryah and her team went from door to door, counseling families, gaining their trust, and encouraging women to enter shared production spaces. Women were formally trained, paid well, and held to professional standards.
The skill was already present. What IVillage created was structure, fairness, and market access.
The products were sold from small stalls in corporate spaces while Aryah was still working in Mumbai. The products kept selling out. Aryah had to restock the products regularly.
Then came the repeat bulk orders.
That was the market’s validation.
Growth and Discipline of IVillage
But as the demand grew, IVillage faced a lesson that many founders learn the hard way: good intentions fall apart when there are no systems in place.
Processes, quality control, manufacturing planning, middle management, and cash flow management were no longer negotiable. Aryah fully assumed the role of the CEO, rebranding IVillage from a “women empowerment initiative” to a “reliable manufacturing partner.”
Today, IVillage is at the forefront of:
- Capability
- Pricing
- Delivery strength
- Scale
Impact adds strength to the business decision.
It does not replace commercial logic.
What Keeps the Business of IVillage Running Today
IVillage is active in the following areas: corporate orders, retail, marketplaces, and Instagram.
In the background, the weekly review monitors production planning, order pipelines, and cash flow, because progress without visibility is risk, not progress.
One of the principles that Aryah follows strictly:
Never undervalue your work because it has an “impact angle.”
If the business fails to be financially respected, the mission will not survive.
The Road Ahead for IVillage
The next stage of development is aimed at
- Establishing high-quality second-line leadership in production
- Improving sales processes
- Preparing for larger domestic and export contracts
One of the wins that Aryah is most proud of this year is being able to deliver large orders on time and with quality, proving that a rural women’s workforce can meet and often exceed the traditional manufacturing standards.
IVillage is evidence that when women are provided training, structure, fair compensation, and professional standards, they do not simply participate in the economy; they help build it.
Connect with IVillage A Family here:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivillageafamily/
Connect with Aryah:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aryahvaibhhavmahajan/
If you’d like your journey to be featured in our Meet The Mahilas series, write to us at hello@mahila.money.
We’d love to hear your story and share it with women across India.
