ANCIENT CRAFTS AND REGENERATIVE MATERIALS
Discover Sri Lankan Craft Heritage
Become part of our pilot project in Sri Lanka
We collaborate directly with skilled artisan collectives who are masters of Sri Lankas famous crafts
Craft Mastery from Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan artisans master centuries-old techniques using indigenous materials like palmyrah and teak, as well as natural organic dyes. In all parts of Sri Lanka you can find authentic pieces that carry cultural heritage and display exceptional craftsmanship. The unique materials, textures and patterns offer inspiration for designers who are searching for genuine artisanal authenticity.
Woodworks
Sri Lankan woodworkers master an extraordinary palette of indigenous timbers – from the rich, dark ebony and aromatic teak to the sustainable palmyrah, jackfruit wood, and coconut timber – each offering distinct grains, colors, and working properties. Ancient woodcarving traditions, passed down through generations, combine intricate relief work with sophisticated joinery techniques that create furniture and decorative pieces with remarkable durability and artistic depth, giving designers access to both premium hardwoods and time-tested craftsmanship methods unavailable in mass production.
The woodwork artisans we work with have decades of experience in their field. They source their material from local regenerative production and employ special organic finishing products such as cinnamon oil, giving the final product a dreamlike texture and smell.
Textile Weaving, Printing and Dyeing
Sri Lanka is famous for handloom textile weaving, a traditional technique that dates back to the 6th century. The handloom weavers in our network bring in decades of experience and mastery. The textiles they create inherit unique patterns and represent a clear contrast to industrial mass production.
Master craftspeople employ diverse batik methods – from traditional Sri Lankan resist-dyeing to refined Java batik techniques – alongside natural plant-based dyes that produce rich, lasting colors unavailable through synthetic processes, offering designers access to authentic textile tradition.
Textile Weaving, Printing and Dyeing
Sri Lanka is famous for handloom textile weaving, a traditional technique that dates back to the 6th century. The handloom weavers in our network bring in decades of experience and mastery. The textiles they create inherit unique patterns and represent a clear contrast to industrial mass production.
Master craftspeople employ diverse batik methods – from traditional Sri Lankan resist-dyeing to refined Java batik techniques – alongside natural plant-based dyes that produce rich, lasting colors unavailable through synthetic processes, offering designers access to authentic textile tradition.
Rattan and Palmyrah Weaving
On the main highway that connects Sri Lankas capital Colombo with the historic city of Kandy you can see countless rattan makers who are displaying their handmade products. While many of the shops seem almost interchangeable, you can find master weavers among them who are capable of crafting unique and highly sophisticated products.
While rattan is a well-known and popular material used around the world, Sri Lanka is also home of the lesser-known craft of palmyrah weaving. Palmyrah is an abundantly available but sensitive material which is collected from the palmyrah palm tree. Harvesting, drying, weaving and finishing requires years of experience, which makes palmyrah crafts so precious and valuable.
The female artisan collectives that are part of our network produce bags, baskets, wall hangers and all kinds of products which are fully organic yet robust and durable.
