Eco-Friendly & Organic

Sabai Grass (Eulaliopsis binata) is found in the Chota Nagpur Plateau region of West Bengal and Odisha. It has characteristic long leaves and its importance was first identified by the British who used it for military purposes. Since those areas face scarcity of water, the people, mostly women, took up rope making from Sabai grass as their profession. Then with the training provided by the Self Help Groups, artists switched to different types of craft making like furniture, baskets, coasters, wall hangings, etc using Sabai grass.

The sikki crafts are eco-friendly along with being lightweight and organic. These biodegradable products are highly efficient as they come with longer durability so that they can be used till wanted by the users. The craft has its beliefs deeply rooted in Indian tradition and for the present world, the situation is the best example of sustainability. With the hazardous effects of plastics on the environment, items made of organic materials like Sikki grass can be a good substitute for plastics.

India abounds in natural fibres and on this independence day, let us celebrate our resources and our skilled artisans and craftsmen who make art out of them.

In an environmentally woke world, we can never ignore the hazardous impact of non-biodegradable products. Plastics take thousands of years to decompose, polluting land and clogging up the underground water channel. Natural fibres, on the other hand, are eco-friendly, non-allergic, and more comfortable. Nowadays, natural fibre products have wonderfully replaced most of the plastic-made items, making the world a little greener and a happier place to live in.

Found in the wetlands across the world, water reeds, scientifically known as Phragmites Australis, are broad-leafed grass with a length of about 1.5 to 5 metres. They have smooth stems and clusters of feathery flowers at the top of them. Originally used as thatching materials in the UK, India, and other parts of the world, water reeds are now used to produce several essential items. 

Water reeds are grown along the margins of lakes, streams, and marshy areas from the Arctic to the tropics. In Egypt, these stems are dried to use as fishing poles. Here, fences and cattle pens are also created out from the reeds. In the Philippines, the reeds are used to make household brooms, which they call ‘walis tambo’. In the Netherlands, Ger