Scaling sustainable impact in Lebanon: The Earth Weavers project

Earth Weavers approached PUM seeking expert advice to strengthen their strategic positioning and prepare for international expansion. They aimed to translate their social and environmental impact into compelling storytelling for global audiences, enhance their go-to-market strategy, and have a solid yet adaptable business model for different markets. Their goal: to expand their impact across the MENA region in a viable healthy manner.

Remote collaboration
Due to the unstable situation in Lebanon, PUM expert Hester Francken who was matched to this project, committed to remote collaboration. Sessions were scheduled regularly via video calls, with clear goals, a phased plan and hands-on research and validation in the markets in between meetings. The collaboration has been ongoing for more than a year, and important steps have been taken. To bridge the remote challenges, Hester included extra space to connect on the human side during the coaching process. She started by asking the entrepreneurs to share personal drivers and dreams, from their childhood as well as their current state. This way, she got to understand how Manar and Rami were hold back by their culture during their childhood and shaping their ambitions to do good on a personal and professional level. Since sharing this, their ambitions to empower other women in their culture became even more clear in their perseverance, even during the difficult times their country went through since 2024.

Vision for the future
To guide EarthWeavers in realising their ambitions, the PUM project with Hester followed a strategic advisory approach. It began by guiding the team to gain a shared and deep understanding of the current situation; how did we get here, where are we now, and what is changing around us? Mapping their evolution, their business model, their context and zooming in on their customer segments and value propositions through in-market validation, lead to strategic conversations and a deeper understanding of their current situation. From here, they sharpened their vision, decided on clear ambitions, and redesigned their business model for scalable growth. Insights from hands-on market and competitor research that were conducted in a shortlist of countries, contributed to a tailored go-to-market strategy for new markets. The team felt they had all the tools to enter these new markets strategically, continuously validating their assumptions and making deliberate choices for their business model. Hester offered continuous coaching, helping the client in their decision making and in growing sustainably in their new market.

Sustainable impact
The project empowered Earth Weavers to understand their true value proposition for people, planet and business, and to grow this value strategically. Beyond its creative mission, Earth Weavers has grown into a catalyst for social and economic transformation. The business now plays a strategic role in fostering community development, financial independence, and social cohesion across the MENA region. To date, its initiatives have generated 49 jobs, trained more than 250 women, and achieved measurable environmental impact, saving 12,825 liters of water, cutting 3,982 kg of CO2 emissions and diverting over 2,800 meters of textile waste from landfills.

Follow-up and outlook
Looking ahead, Earth Weavers is set to expand this impact even further. Through its flagship “Treads of Transformation” programme, the company aims to empower more than 1,000 women in the next four years by creating sustainable livelihoods and embedding ecological responsibility at the heart of fashion entrepreneurship. The approach has potential to be replicated in similar regions or as a regional webinar series.