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, patchworks, and handquilting feature prominently on our cushions and bedlinen. We continually re-invent with these traditional techniques to bring a modern expression to our home furnishings.
Cushions >>
Artisan Woven Rugs
Our woven rugs are crafted by hand on traditional looms by skilled artisans and weavers. Modern graphic geometrics and narrative interpretations bring color and modern design to this craft.
Woven Rugs >>
Hand Screenprinted Fabrics
Hand-cut screens are layered one by one to deposit each layer of color and design onto our printed fabrics. The design ingredients and some of the dyes may have modernized somewhat. Yet the colors are still mixed by masters in their craft and each layer of dye is swiped on by hand in small batches, making each and every print-run subtly unique.
Upholstery Fabrics >>
Furniture
Handcarved woodwork
We marvel at the skill of the expert craftsman as he transforms a soft mangowood into a carved masterpiece. We love to render our modern abstract and botanical print forms on furniture, decorative wall art, and figurines.
Carved Furniture >>
Handset Inlay
A most treasured technique where artisans gingerly set inlay into gouged mango wood. Tessalted botanical and geometric forms come to life. We call it modernature.
Inlay Furniture >>
Handwoven Wicker
Cane wicker is a robust, light and tropical material that has been used for centuries. It rose to prominence in the mid-century where we recall it fondly from our grandparent’s 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 everyday fewer.
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.
