Product Description

Handsomely trimmed with strips of black resin and natural bone, this handcrafted box is the perfect nest for anything from treasured keepsakes to candles for your dining centerpiece. The box is decorative yet functional. You can never be too organized or have enough conversation pieces on display.

From the Manufacturer

Upcycled & Sustainable Materials

Sambhal is the heart of India’s horn and bone industry -- a waste material that’s upcycled into decorative pieces. Artisans residing in villages surrounding the city center have been working with horn and animal bone for generations. Historically, the materials were sourced by animals that had died naturally. They were collected and provided to artisans to transform into art. Today, the horn and bone comes from animals that have been slaughtered for their meat and the bone would otherwise go to waste.

Made by Hand.

Bone artisanry requires skill. Sawing, filing, and setting hundreds of pieces into intricate patterns requires precision and a keen eye. For complex and original patterns such as ours, artisans generally take four to five hours to complete a single piece. Nearly 2000 manufacturing units, clustered together in a neighborhood of Sambhal, are famous for this vintage skill. Yet as the artisans age, many of them now over 60, fewer youngsters are keen to take up the work. Your purchase helps to keep these artisanal traditions alive.

Versatile

This box is available in two different sizes depending on your needs. It pairs perfectly with other pieces of our Pinstripe collection, so you can add matching accent pieces around your room. Store remote controls in your living room, stationary at your desk, jewelry on your dresser, glam up your entry way and store your keys. No matter where it sits it’s sure to provide function and add style to your home.

Neutral

Designed in-house by our talented design team exclusively for Mela Artisans. The black resin and natural bone create an appealing black and white pinstripe that will effortlessly compliment any décor.

Unique

Not only are all of our products designed by us and for us, but they are also made by hand. A product that is made by hand ensures that no two pieces are ever alike.The beauty of hand crafted artwork is enhanced by each item’s uniqueness. Minor variations in color and design are to be expected. We hope you will appreciate and value these slight differences that make your purchase truly one-of-a-kind.

Mela Artisans is a luxury lifestyle brand that blends traditional handcrafting techniques with contemporary design.

By working closely with our artisans, we create high quality products while promoting social uplift in their communities.

About the Startup

Describe your product in 3 words.

Unique Handmade Decor

How did you come up with the idea for this product?

As a young boy, I recall my father's love of art and his collection of beautiful handicrafts and antiques from all over India. Over the years and through my travels around the world, it became my passion to seek out indigenous artisans and support them by buying their exquisite works of art. This was especially true during my many visits to the different regions of India. I am constantly amazed and surprised by the unique beauty and intricate detail of the items that these artisans create. In many cases their skills have been passed down over generations. It is therefore especially tragic to see that several of these artisans can no longer earn a living wage because of the lack of local demand for their work. Every month, one hears of master craftsmen forced into giving up their craft in exchange for a life of abject poverty as unskilled workers in India's large urban centers. Many dedicated organizations have recognized this problem and are making commendable efforts to help. My daughter Sonali sent me an article a few summers ago that served as my call to action. She had spent the previous four summers in India working with social enterprises. The article highlighted yet another artisan group abandoning its work because of the difficulty of marketing its products. Over the next few weeks we thought through our business model and began to explore partnership opportunities. And thus Mela Artisans was born. With the help of some good friends, we were able to raise enough funds for the project. As we continue our incredible journey, I invite you to join in whatever capacity you can. Choose to purchase our handmade products, learn about their triumphs and struggles on our blog, or get more actively involved by volunteering to help further our mission. –Navroze Mehta, Founder & CEO

What makes your product special?

Traditional handcrafted techniques on the verge of being extinct are used to produce all of our products. These techniques are fused with exclusive contemporary design to appeal to the broader markets. Purchasing our products helps to ensure the livelihood of artisans who still choose to work by hand in a largely mechanized modern world.

What has been the best part of your startup experience?

Being able to measure our impact on the artisan communities. In addition to linking these talented artisans to new markets, which creates jobs, we also give back 1% of revenue to the artisan communities. The funds are used for medical care, such as vision camps or other identified areas of need, such as providing solar lanterns in areas that lack access to electricity. The incredible feedback that is received from the gracious artisan groups as well as from our customers is overwhelmingly positive and makes the immense amounts of work that much more gratifying.

Mela Artisans MABX306 Pinstripe Decorative Box, Large

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