The very first step towards our living style with adapting sustainable Interior Products which can woo you up with a different fascinating range.
Well, it's a while with some time I couldn't post for you people because of some personal shifting going on, and being an interior designer I believe to get you guys a bit more extrovert when you are visiting this very personal blog of mine with lots of tangy content with divergent developing styles, creators, quick contrast questioning sessions, tips with some miscellaneous interior facts and styles. So, what hits you when the heading is just keeping you curious about the basic styles with sustainable interior products in your home space? Well, nothing too advanced but the very simple and sober interior useful products can be your first way to go with sustainability.
With the few listing products, I come across this beautiful organization name Palash Handicrafts Ambalika, Jharkhand, India. An aiming organization for providing sustainable livelihood to primitive Tribals of Jharkhand. An NGO which was established in 2002 where sabars the tribal group (Adivasis) got their new opportunities within their social lives as well as n professional lives, however before that what they were facing let see:
Extreme Poverty, malnourishment
No access to government schemes
No access to health services
Absolutely cut off from mainstream society, surviving by foraging and hunting.
The life expectancy of 40-45 years, living in small huts of three by four feet, which they could enter only by crawling into them.
What affected them in wellness by this, now they made rudimentary products initially like baskets, brooms, etc which could fetch the minimal prices in the market -received series of training by Ambalika. The organization ensures that the children of all the artists are enrolled in schools & takes active steps to address dropouts. Since schools are closed currently Ambalika has launched “Palash Ke Phool” to provide food, clothes, hygiene products to sabar children, enables artisans to directly sell their products in various fairs and exhibitions, and launching a website, advanced level training and exposure at premier institutes like NIFT Delhi and Bamboo & Cane Development Institute at Agartala, helping artisans procure raw materials and door-to-door distribution and production from home especially for women. Have opened bank accounts for all artisans and inculcated among them the habit of saving, have made artisan identity card to avail government schemes, Have ensured benefits that all government scheme reaches beneficiaries like 35Kg rice, pulses, salt(TPDS), drinking water supply, connectivity through roads, construction of houses, access to medical facilities especially in case of any emergencies, regular health check-ups of artisans and children Door to door distribution of foodgrains, oil, soaps, sanitizers, etc during COVID.
How sustainable products are being developed at the place, well, kanshi grass is grown in abundance in the area all year round. It is a waste grass and is not used for any other purp6se. The grass is cut dried for 2 days before it can be used for weaving. Ambalika also has a grass drier machine to help the artisans during monsoon season. Palm leaves growing in the nearby area naturally are plucked and dried in sun for 2 days before they can be used in weaving.
The products you can found by these amazing sabar's will be ethically sourced, uniquely designed, eco friendly
Kanshi Storage Basket
Bamboo Lamps
Kanshi motifs Basket/Planter
Coasters
Red Black Kanshi motifs Basket /Planter
Kanshi Bin/ Planters/ Towel Basket
Big Kanshi Towel/ Laundry Basket With Beaded Jali Design
Assorted Boxes
Magazine Holder
Laundry and Assorted Bins
Kanshi Palm Decorative Planters
Bowls
Tissue Boxes
Roti Box
Beaded Tray
Hospitality Tray
Tablemats
Shopping Bags
Furniture
Production Process
Sizing the Grass: The dried grass is sorted and cut into approx. 3 Ft pieces and formed into bundles for further use in the craft. We have recently purchased grass cutter machinery for this purpose.
Weaving the Grass: The sized grass is coiled together and woven with help of date leaves and formed into the desired shape.
Finishing: The final binding is done so that the edges don’t open. Palm leaves and a needle is used to weave and make beautiful products out of the Grass. New materials (such as jute, wool, fabric, ribbon, and bamboo) are being added along with the grass so as to increase the attractiveness and durability. In addition to the above-mentioned features,
ergonomics and eco-friendliness are also being considered while developing the products.
Existing Tools and Machinery
The tools used in grass craft are basically, a needle, which the sabars make by themselves.
• Small needle made locally using umbrella spooks
• Small Scissor
SAFETY MEASURES
Under NABARD program Finger Guards have been developed by IDTR Jamshedpur for 300 artisans.
BAMBOO Procurement
◦ Bamboo is procured from bamboo cultivators in the area.
◦ Ambalika also has a bamboo shredder to fasten the process
◦ The bamboo machine is installed at Ketunga center under NABARD PROJECT
◦ Mahali tribe living alongside Sabars in the villages specializes in Bamboo craft.
Moving ahead with sustainability is the buzzword, and rightfully so, we keep coming across the numerous benefits of eco-friendly alternatives for the environment as well as for our daily life, professional, and personal well-being. In interior design, in fact, sustainable design is not just about finding natural and recyclable materials to decor space, but more than that is the selective materials we are placing which are affecting the whole environment in the whole worldwide. With few pieces of research when I aimed for this amazing article to serve with you all, I personally felt, not to go with the luxury first but to bring up those who are serving in a small but impactful way.
Happy Reading!