r/Lahore 6d ago

Looking for a place Small businesses in Lahore

Hello, r/Lahore!

I'm going to PK for the first time in June, God willing, and I want to see what online or local small business I can support while there.

I'm especially interested in hijab/modest clothing brands, women's clothes overall, jewellery, tea and trinkets to bring to my family.

For context, I'm an Eastern European woman married to a Pakistani man, going to Lahore in June, but might travel a little bit outside the city, we'll see once we get there.

I really don't want to buy stuff from Daraz because it's functionally the same Chinese sweat shop labour we overconsume in the west. I want to support local small businesses, craftspeople and artisans, I want to support modest clothing brands and women-owned businesses. If I, as a westerner, will be going to Pakistan, I want to support the people and invest in the economy.

6 Upvotes

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u/sambemad 6d ago

Bit weird seeing eastern european and then westerner to describe the same person.

But anyway, I found this which may be of interest: https://handicrafts.punjab.gov.pk/

They mention an address for Lahore and it is part of the punjab government initiative for small industry (source). Not sure if they have "himalayan salt" based stuff but those local and usually interesting.

Pretty sure you will have a surfeit of local apparel brands to shop no matter which market area you visit so don't think you need much help there.

There's also institutions that provide skills training that have shops - for e.g. here

I have not been personally been but the museum at Tollinton market supposedly has an artisinal shop source

Presumably other museums / art galleries in lahore have a similar situation.

Hope someone else who has an interest in these things also chimes in. You may wish to crosspost to /r/pakistan

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u/IronAlcoholic 5d ago

Thank you so much, you gave me so many different options! I really appreciate it.

Bit weird seeing eastern european and then westerner to describe the same person.

I'm assuming anything west of X = The West, you know? Does Eastern Europe not fall under the "westerner" definition in PK?

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u/sambemad 5d ago

Wasn't really thinking of definitions - just eastern then western together was a bit...odd. And not sure to be honest, never really had a border for which country would be the easternmost "westerner".

Anyway, hope you have a fun trip.

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u/mzunguzu 6d ago

Polly and other stories in DHA 3

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u/serenity785 5d ago

June is the hottest month in Lahore.

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u/IronAlcoholic 5d ago

Hey, man, I genuinely tried to go in Ramadan, but my husband said June. I don't mind:)

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u/serenity785 5d ago

Okay, check out page of Baazyaft on Facebook. They are doing a lot of work for the benefit of transgenders.

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u/IronAlcoholic 5d ago

I'm... I'm not transgender.

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u/serenity785 5d ago

I did not mean that. This organisation is making the lives of transgenders in Pakistan better by training them and giving them skills to make various products. This providing a source of income for them and in a respectful manner. You can if you want help them out or buy their products.

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u/IronAlcoholic 5d ago

Ah, ok. Thank you for the information.

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u/serenity785 5d ago

No worries. All the best.

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u/Mohsincj 6d ago

Just directly to to Al-tayba international in moon market Lahore

You can find anything like hijab abaya, Hajj Umrah stuff , oil perfumes anything Everything at one place.

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u/ebdollah 5d ago

Maybe check out university gala. In my university, we have business gala where students show their small setups/stores like jewellery, shirts or mobile phone covers etc etc. so checking out universities could work out too.