India, March 8 -- "Accelerate Action" is the theme of International Women's Day this year. It's a message that goads society into taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality. Following this mandate for the last few years is Varanasi-based Shikha Shah, the founder of ScrapShala.

This women-led Indian brand makes premium environment-friendly products which are upcycled from discarded wares, by reviving traditional Indian handicraft methods. Their products promote sustainability by using pre-existing raw material. Most importantly, they employ women artisans to create handicrafts, in turn helping them earn a respectable livelihood.

Shah is a serial entrepreneur working on reshaping the textile industry with a focus on sustai...