Our Origin Story

Our founders Shipra and Megha are two sisters with passion for design and impact. They have a study background in social sector and management. Being associated with different NGOs and social enterprises earlier, the idea of being a part of social change had always inspired them. But they truly grew passionate about the cause of providing dignified livelihoods to rural women when they started working on the ground level, stayed with the rural artisans, and got to see their challenges up-close.

They are originally based out of Odisha, India. The women artisans in these regions skilled in craft weaving processes and have a strong need for livelihood opportunities. Upon understanding the problems at the grassroot level, they worked towards building a venture which could cater to the needs of the artisans as well as create value for the customers.

At KalaGhar, our purpose is to create dignified livelihoods at the bottom of pyramid while serving our customers with eco-friendly, well-designed and quality products.

Our Mission

Our mission is to create an ecosystem, where rural women artisans of India have better social and economic standing within their families and communities resulting in dignified livelihoods, improved skills and knowledge about market preferences.

Our Craft Making Process

  • Harvesting

    Sabai is a perennial grass growing in the wild and sometimes cultivated for use. It is an effective soil binder and one of the sturdiest grassfound

  • Drying

    Harvested sabai grass is accumulated by the locals and the grass is left out to dry in the sun to give it the characteristic golden brown color

  • Workshops

    Design intervention workshops are conducted to fuse modern sensibilities with age old craft

  • Weaving

    Sabai grass is weaved with date palm / jute /thread to make intricately woven decor products

Impact

Starting our journey from a small village in Odisha’s Balasore district with six artisans in 2016, we are not only creating employment opportunities for rural women artisans, but also reviving handicrafts in Odisha.

Our aim is to improve the financial standing of the sabai artisans in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, India, which homes 45 tribal communities. We not only help the artisans develop the products, but also assist them to understand design and trends. Also, we try to complement their skills and art of embellishment by adding new freshness to the art through training.

Living up to our mission statement we have empowered over 200 rural women aged between 19 and 50 years. Now, these women earn Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 per day. From creating urban tastes and preferences and at the same time retaining the Indian art form’s history and legacy, we work with various grass-roots level artists, NGOs and self help groups and assist them in understanding minimalistic and contemporary designs.

Our products are not only a medium to provide livelihoods to women artisans, but also are sustainable and eco-friendly. The major raw material used in our products are natural fibers, which are entirely biodegradable. Thus, we create rich spectrum of products that meet the needs of urban audience.