An eco-friendly gifting guide for New Year 2023

Hand-embroidered journals by Tanya Bahl

The self-taught artist based in Ladakh draws inspiration from the minute details she spots in Nature, and this is evident in her intricate artwork featuring delicate cosmos flowers, lantern lilies, Athangudi tiles and the Portuguese Azulejo.

Read more |A zero-waste gift packaging guide for Christmas and New Year 

Tanya, who takes a small number of commissions every month, designs handbound journals (upwards of ₹1,600) with hand-painted watercolor or gouache covers. “I scan the artworks and get them printed on cotton canvas which are then made into the journal covers. The journals are handbound using the traditional coptic binding technique,” says the artist who also designs embroidered journal covers which are “hand embroidered on a woollen fabric (used to make traditional Ladakhi garments) that I source from the local shops in Ladakh”.

Also available are fine art prints of Tanya’s botanical paintings (upwards of ₹1,500) and patterns, and two different 2023 desk calendars (₹1,500 each) — one floral, and the other inspired by intricate Indian patterns — that are printed on cotton textured papers and come with a wooden stand handcrafted by her husband, Mayank. But our pick is the gift box (upwards of ₹5,500) comprising two journals, a framed fine art print, one bag of homemade chocolates, a postcard, two bookmarks and some stamps. tanyabahl0925@gmail.com

Rag dolls by Silaiwali

In the news for their latest collaboration with French luxury brand Chloé, the New Delhi-based social enterprise has a range of dolls and ornaments for the festive season. Dolls including Banno (dressed in a pink lehenga), Mizu (a Japanese-inspired rag doll), Ilma (in a traditional Ukranian attire), are among the many creations handcrafted using waste fabric by Afghani women refugees in India.

As for the collab, the brands have worked on a series of bag charms, and two dolls dressed in a knitted dress and Broderie Anglaise dress from Chloé’s Autumn Winter 2021 and Spring 2022 collections (available only on chloe.com). Co-founder Bishwadeep Moitra says it all started when a senior team member at Chloé messaged them on Instagram. “The product development was a long and minutely detailed process. The team was helpful and understood the limitations a small enterprise like Silaiwali may face. Iris Strill, co-founder of Silaiwali, was the crucial link who translated what Chloé’s merchandising team wanted and what the Afghan ladies were able to handcraft.” Silaiwali dolls at ₹1,886 on silaiwali.com

Calendar kit for children by Lil Trails

The Chennai-based initiative by Rajavel Sundar and Avanti Natarajan aimed at exchanging ideas within the parenting community has launched a calendar kit exclusively for children. Titled Alai, the kit is themed on the underwater world inspired by Chennai’s rich marine life. Comprising a desktop calendar illustrated by Avanti, a board game, and postcard, the kit hopes to create awareness among children about ‘taking care of the ocean, the importance of marine life and the impact of marine pollution’.  ₹1,299 on liltrails.com 

Crochet jewellery by Dhinakaran’s Arts and Crafts

The Tirupati-based brand specialising in crochet dolls, jewellery, accessories, pet replicas, and more has launched a new range of crochet dolls and jewellery. Handcrafted animals, stars, dolls with wavy hair are the highlights, as are the crochet caps, necklaces and rings in vibrant shades. “We are an artist trio — Mercy, Christina, and Shanmukha. Mercy, our mother, crafts crochet baby products, I specialise in miniatures, replicas and dolls, while Shanmukha is busy with the marketing and packaging work in the studio,” says founder Christina Dhinakaran, adding that every doll takes around 7-8 hours to make, and custom orders are also taken. Upwards of ₹150 on dhinakaransartsandcrafts.com

Hand-painted terracotta planters by Oh Yay Project

Known for her hand-painted terracotta planters, ceramic serveware, and tableware, Vaibhavi Shah’s catalogue for the festive season features a new collection of mugs, platters and bowls. Highlights include striped ceramic mugs and plates in vibrant shades of yellow, blue and pink; chip and dip platters; and serving bowls. As for the planters, choose from Tall Dragonfly with a bright orange base and gold dragonfly motifs, Flower Check with bright pink stripes and pink flowers or Funky Five Terrazzo with multi-colour pops. Upwards of ₹600 on ohyayproject.com

Custom platters at Dhee Pottery 

A dinner plate with an Iris flower motif, a vase crafted with a bouquet of pink lilies on its body, a tumbler with the red cosmos flower… these are just a few highlights from Arunima Chandra’s recent launches. The inspiration behind these pieces, she says, “is to create functional ware that is not only utilitarian, but also visually appealing”. “The idea is to create something that can work for more than one purpose. For example, the size of the blue plate allows it to be used as a pasta plate, a platter for serving appetisers or for some curry even. I have always been drawn to floral patterns and when it came to using ceramics as a canvas, florals was something that I was naturally drawn to,” says Arunima, who works only on an order basis. Plates upwards of ₹1,600, Vases start at ₹2,800, and bowls upwards of ₹1,000. For orders, call 9967451874.