Homegrown brands for summer

When was the last time you redid your home? Some minor changes as you stay indoors to escape the heat can mean more comfort. We list down brands that can inspire you to elevate your spaces, taking them from drab to fab.

Peepul Tree

Founded by Anish Williams, Mini Menon, and Priya Jayaraman, Peepul Tree sets itself apart as a storytelling-powered live commerce platform.

Apart from home decor and paintings, Peepul Tree, which works with over 5,000 artisans from across India, offers a range of accessories, silver jewellery, apparel, and historical artefacts. Menon says the brand aims to take fine Indian handmade products to the world. “Our products are sustainable, unique and handcrafted. We have some of the finest artisans, who tell their stories and showcase their work to the world,” she says.

Peepul Tree’s designers work in tandem with artisans to help them access global markets. Like its namesake, the Peepul Tree, which has wide arms, rich foliage, and heart-shaped leaves, the brand symbolises India’s diversity and cultural richness. Menon says Peepul Tree wants to get ‘Handcrafted in India’ back to the centre stage. “For over 2,000 years, India was at the heart of the world luxury market. That is the reason most traders and armies came to India. We believe that we still have the most amazing crafts and weaves, and the stories and products of our artisans need to be showcased to the world,” she says, adding that this is especially relevant today when global shoppers are moving away from cheap factory-made products to sustainable hand-crafted products.

The brand’s top sellers include a range of cushion covers made by women weavers in a village in Nagaland, and a range of table runners and cushion covers made by nomadic tribes settled in a village in Karnataka. “In both cases, the traditional art form has been reimagined and customised to modern tastes,” Menon says.

Opaque Studio

Looking for furniture and home décor accessories that stand out. Try Opaque Studio’s range that is handcrafted and made using sustainable, natural and renewable materials by artisans from across the country.

Kritika Gattani, co-founder, says the brand translates creative thoughts and concepts into works of art using eco-friendly and organic materials. “Opaque is a lot more than a mere design studio. We believe in bringing nature to home in astounding designs, transforming everyday utility into a sustainable work of art,” she says.

The wide range includes beds, cabinets, armchairs, tables, ottomans, kitchen and table ware, rugs, wall decor, coffee tables, stools, side tables, candle holders, handwoven water hyacinth cushions, yoga mats, and magazine holders.

Gattani says sustainability is cornerstone of the studio, and the company takes great pride in adopting a waste-free principle in creating and making designs. “We do not mass produce any of our products, keeping in mind the harmful effects caused by the fast furniture industry on the environment. We are not here to simply build a piece of furniture or sell you the latest trendy designs. We firmly believe in the need to slow things down, especially when it comes to furniture production,” she says.

Opaque Studio also make upcycled furniture pieces by using leftover material. The top sellers? Sunburst Moonjh Grass Mirror, Chirang Pendant Lamp, Dawki Floor Lamp, Aster Chair, Garden Rose Ottoman, and Epicurean Magazine Holder.

Kavi

Former journalists Amit Singh, Madhuri Balodi and Soumya Mukerje quit their jobs to start their dream project. And the Kavi Project was born. Kavi started as a home studio in 2012 and was registered as a social impact company, Powershot India Pvt. Ltd., in 2018.

“Kavi — The Poetry Art Project stands for socially and environmentally responsible production to build a circular economy through upcycling and uplifting grassroot-level artisanship towards our vision and purpose of promoting a green lifestyle with a literary touch among young urban conscious consumers,” Balodi says.

The brand offers a range of home décor and lifestyle products, including lamps, tableware, and serve ware, mainly from eco-friendly materials like cork and recycled glass. “Our vision for a green lifestyle promotes the concept of reusing. We upcycle waste material, including glass bottles which people usually throw after using them. It takes a lot of energy to give new life to an old product, but it gives us satisfaction that we are not adding more waste to the environment,” Balodi says.

Kavi’s upcycled glass bottles — converted into glasses, jars, planters, and snack trays — are their most popular item.

The startup, which now has a team of 20 people along with numerous artists, labourers, and freelance workers, is eyeing the international market as it is “more open for sustainable products and our art”.

Nestasia

One of India’s fastest-growing artisanal home décor brands, Nestasia is the brainchild of entrepreneur couple Aditi Murarka Agrawal and Anurag Agrawal. Their travels revealed their passion about the process of picking and choosing the right décor accessories and they decided to launch “an exciting destination for all things home”.

Agrawal says, “At Nestasia, we believe that every moment lived in a home, big or small, deserves to be special — be it dining together with family, hosting friends for movie nights, cultivating a balcony garden, or just enjoying a cup of tea on Sunday. Through our collections, we help customers find special touches that make their homes truly their own.”

Founded in 2019, the brand offers more than 8,500 products in eight key product categories, including decor, kitchen, dining, bath, garden, soft furnishings, and stationery, with new launches every fortnight. Nestasia aims to combine the traditions, craftsmanship, and culture of Southeast Asian nations with modern sensibilities and locally sourced, natural materials.

Agrawal says the new Nest Luxe Collection offers a wide variety — from opulent grandeur to minimalistic sophistication. “We hold ourselves to the highest standards of quality to create pieces that will stand the test of time.”