Sustainable Craft
The Work of Many Hearts and Hands
From the very beginning, Freedom Tree has been about celebrating a modern Indian aesthetic while showcasing the skills and materials that our country’s rich handicraft traditions have to offer. In fact, we work across the length and breadth of the country with “creative partners” – artisans and manufacturers that have generations of skill and home-grown expertise in their craft.
These skills and traditions are threatened by mechanization, commodification, and imports. Some of the skills that are disappearing, and we continue to support include traditional rug weaving, hand-painted ceramics, lacquer work, and hand woven wicker.
In partnering with these craft clusters around the country, we are able to commission cutting edge design that preserves and upskills workers and entire organizations. Preserving the rich artisan ecosystem of India ensures that the re-imagined design upholds cultural dignity. We have been fortunate to grow with them, learn from them, and innovate with them.
Read on to see a snapshot of the some of the many traditional techniques we hero in our design collections
Textiles
Hand Guided Machine Embroidered and Hand Finished Textiles
Raised embroideries in aari, tufted techniques, potlis, patchwork, and hand quilting feature prominently on our cushions and bed linen. We continually reinvent these traditional techniques to bring a modern expression to our home furnishings.
Cushions >>
Artisan Woven Rugs
Our woven rugs are handcrafted on traditional looms by skilled artisans and weavers. Modern graphic geometrics and narrative interpretations bring color and contemporary design to this timeless craft.
Woven Rugs >>
Hand Screenprinted Fabrics
Hand-cut screens are layered one by one to apply each layer of color and design onto our fabrics. While some of the design elements and dyes may have evolved, the colors are still mixed by masters of their craft, and each layer of dye is applied by hand in small batches, making every print run subtly unique.
Upholstery Fabrics >>
Furniture
Handcarved woodwork
We marvel at the skill of expert craftsmen as they transform soft mango wood into carved masterpieces. We love rendering our modern abstract and botanical print forms onto furniture, decorative wall art, and figurines.
Carved Furniture >>
Handset Inlay
A most treasured technique in which artisans carefully set inlay into gouged mango wood. Tessellated botanical and geometric forms come to life. We call it modernature.
Inlay Furniture >>
Handwoven Wicker
Cane wicker is a robust, lightweight, and tropical material that has been used for centuries. It rose to prominence in the mid-century, where we recall it fondly from our grandparents' homes. This special skill remains in high demand as the wicker trend continues to peak, yet those with the skills to weave and knot by hand are becoming fewer every day.
Handwoven Wicker >>
Handpainted Ceramics
Ceramic stoneware crafted from the hardy clays of northern India. In a tradition dating back centuries, master artisans paint freehand on dried ceramic shapes, before they are baked in modern kilns with an energy-minimizing single-fired process. Each piece emerges unique, special, and will last for years.
