Creative Bee’s Keshav and Bina Rao showcase prototype lifestyle accessories made from water hyacinth fiber | Photo by Nagara Gopal
Creative Bee Studio’s compact office in Hyderabad’s Banjara Hills is stocked with samples of lifestyle accessories such as pen stands, coasters, table mats, baskets and water hyacinth fiber lampshades, all at low prices. ranges from ₹300 to ₹5,000. Some sturdy baskets and lampshades are at least 10 years old. Bina Rao and Keshav Rao, the founders of this organization, which is reputed in the field of handlooms and crafts, have been leading skill training projects. After training women in two villages in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu in 2022, Keshav recently conducted a survey of three villages in Bihar for a similar project. He also wants to train women in Hyderabad and neighboring Telangana districts.
The couple points out that water hyacinth, a weed that grows naturally in water bodies, could be used to provide a source of livelihood for people trained to make lifestyle accessories. “There is great potential if the product meets quality control according to international standards. Stores such as Walmart and IKEA strive to source products made from natural fibres,” explains Bina.
Snapshots of training programs and some products | Photo courtesy of our correspondent
Creative Bee has previously participated in UN-aided craft training projects in India and Southeast Asia. Following their track record and learning about some of the products available in Thailand, the Tuticorin Collector’s Office and the Tamil Nadu Rural Livelihoods Mission invited them for a training project.
Following a preliminary survey of water bodies near Tuticorin, the program began in January 2022 in Orthore and Kottakurichi villages. Women from self-help groups, many of them wives of farmers from nearby banana plantations, participated in the training. “At first it was a small group. As word spread, more women came forward and received scholarships. We trained 60 women,” says Bina.
Training to improve accuracy
Keshav has designed a toolkit to help cut, weave and pleat water hyacinth stems. The product prototype was designed with the help of alumni from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. He explains that the first few days are usually spent thoroughly cleaning the fabric to prevent fungal growth. The fibers are then sorted according to thickness and length and dried on tiled roofs. “This takes about five to six days in summer, but longer in other seasons. Once completely dry, trim the fibers to the desired thickness.”
Keshav and Vina Rao display prototype lifestyle accessories made from water hyacinth fiber | Photo by Nagara Gopal
Pleating fibers to make baskets and other products is a skill learned with practice. It takes six weeks to master the basic pleating technique. Keshav says there is a common misconception that a two-week or one-month training program is enough. He shows several baskets that reflect amateur handiwork with the irregularities of the pleats. In contrast, the pleats and finishes on products made by artisans who have undergone months of training set them apart as premium products. “At least 6 months of training is essential to achieve strict quality control and uniformity from large orders from companies and lifestyle stores domestically and internationally.Also, identify skill sets and delegate tasks. Some people may be better at trimming the fibers, while others may be better at pleating or smoothing the product.”
Baskets and desk accessories are just part of the product line. Keshav and Bina point out that there is also scope for designing furniture.
“The Tuticorin project was extended to eight months as normalcy had just been restored after the lockdown.The women were learning to make quality products,” says Bina. Towards the end of the project, Ramesh Flowers, a company that exports dried flowers and other lifestyle products to international companies, helped facilitate bulk orders for water hyacinth products. The couple said the project was still ongoing in Tuticorin, adding that they were only involved in the training program.
Bina and Keshav want to train more people in this technique. A survey of Bihar’s water bodies helped Keshav identify three villages: Samsa, Qaidarabad and Rajrakhanpur. “Currently, we have several artisans in Tuticorin who can become trainees and pass on these skills to other people in Bihar. We also want to impart this skill,” says Keshav.
Published – October 16, 2024 3:50 PM IST
