KATHMANDU, April 20: Voto Nepal, a domestic brand which sells locally produced handmade garments, organized a week long Voto Utsav on April 14 to launch its brand. Offering discounts of up to 40 percent, the store sells apparels in a diverse range of colors and prints. 

Founded by Pooja Rimal and Pooja Pandey with a vision to glorify all forms of Nepali wear, Voto offers garments of all sizes and varieties: casual, semi-formal or formal. The venture aims to provide comfortable and chic apparels to both men and women.

Pandey said that her passion to create a Nepali brand inspired her to take on this venture. "We hope to target a wide market range, from middle-class to high-end," Pandey stated.

Voto's products include dresses, night-wears, T-shirts, shorts, tops, and unisex scarves with prices ranging from Rs 900 to Rs 10,000. 

The entrepreneur duo, who dream of establishing a purely Nepal-based garment outlet, makes sure that the store offers an array of cloth wear that are unique in design, colors, and patterns. 

They target people of all sizes and body types, hoping to supply and serve a broad group of people.
Reliza Shrestha, brand endorser for Voto, claims that the products are 100 percent Nepali. “Along with the garment itself, in some designs, even fabric is handmade,” Shrestha stated. The company makes garments from various materials including bamboo, cashmere, and cotton. “Some of the clothing wears are also made of recycled materials,” Shrestha shared. 

Some customers however say that the garments are a bit too expensive for their taste. Bijika Maharjan, who is a regular customer to the store, says that the garments are extremely comfortable and come in beautiful colors that are pleasing to look at.  “The prices are however slightly high,” Maharjan said, adding that it was reasonable considering quality.

"The garments are of very high quality. We do not compromise with excellence. The products speak for themselves," she said. 

The co-founders proudly share that the money from the store goes ultimately to Nepali workers as it is entirely based in Nepal.

Pandey shares that by opening such a brand, she wishes that Nepali consumers begin to wear locally produced garments rather than spending Nepali currency abroad on apparels. The duo hopes to expand branches in Kathmandu and throughout Nepal in upcoming days.

 
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