Kantha quilts are a traditional textile found in abundance in India. They are made from layers of worn cotton saris, sewn together with a distinctive, allover running stitch. Artisans transform the fabric scraps into beads for jewelry, which provides new life to a textile that is often discarded.

Step 1:Each Kantha bead has a base made of wood, carved out of scraps gathered from a local furniture factory. Sustainable sourcing at it's best!

Step 2:Artisans then hand cover each wooden bead with a colorful piece of Kantha fabric, attaching them securely with a safe adhesive. Excess fabric is trimmed off, and the bead is complete.

Step 3:Once a number of beads have been crafted, they are strung together into a necklace, wrapped with wire and added into a cuff bracelet, or transformed into an earring, often incorporating modern elements like metallic paillettes, brass metal accent beads, or mixed-metal seed beads. Artisans assort the beads so the final piece of jewelry has a unique array of colors and patterns. The result is a Kantha design as unique as the artisan that crafted it!