THE CULTURE OF REUSING AND UPCYCLING IN INDIA
Something I found whilst travelling in India and talking to people is that things are reused and mended time and time again. Upcycling old belongings into something new. They do not feel as disposable as in the fast-paced, consumerist era other places in the world are living through, where this idea seems to have been left this behind. I am of course making a generalised comparison as many people in India are also aboard the speedy train of consumption.
My favourites, which will be for sale soon are:
UP-CYCLED COTTON SARIS MADE INTO BAGS
These were sourced from Jodhpur markets and I use mine as laundry and packing bags. Bags like these that I had seen before were made out of polyester so when I found this man selling cotton ones I was over the moon. I spent 2 hours going through all his stock picking the favourites, going back a total of 3 times to the stall.
Nine people were involved in helping deliver these bags to Sri Lanka, where they were screen printed with the Original Source and Supply logo by a good friend. Above is a picture of the journey these bags took.
UP-CYCLED FURNITURE MADE INTO WOODEN BLOCKS
Bigger print designs are usually carved out of a new piece of mango or sheesham wood for block printing. However these smaller blocks have been made out of old furniture that is beyond repair. They are also sourced on the market streets of Jodhpur. The gentleman selling them had a box on the side of the road and invited me up to his home to choose from the whole collection of hundreds. I was also treated to a masala chai.
Things learnt: it’s worth holding on buying something until you find exactly what you are looking for. If you have to compromise on quality or composition, it’s not meant to be.
Jaipur Market
