The wetlands of the Imphal valley are home to kauna, a type of reed. This reed goes into the traditional and ubiquitous Manipuri mats, found in almost all homes in the region.
On a visit to the state, Tanvi J Saraiya and her brother Kehaan J Saraiya, came across a group of women artisans bent over kauna grass, skillfully weaving them into floor mats. “My brother was in Manipur working on his final year Master’s in Design thesis, from Shristi School of Design and I, had gone to visit him.
That’s where we met the artisan group. I was so impressed with their skills and I really wanted to do something to help them out,” recalls Tanvi, who teamed up with her brother to enhance the women’s weaving skills, training them in the art of making bags and accessories with the same raw material.
That’s how Ziveli, an eco-conscious label was born. Today, they employ a community of craftspeople in Manipur, besides craft clusters in West Bengal and Karnataka.
Ziveli’s products also use a material like bamboo, cane, sabai grass, jute, cotton, banana fibre, naturally tanned and ethically sourced leather, and vegan leather made from coconut and banana waste. Their latest collection is set to hit the shelves in August.
Available online.