Caring for terracotta
Unglazed clay breathes. A few habits keep it from staining or cracking.
How to clean brass the old way
Tamarind, salt and a soft cloth: no chemicals needed for a lamp that glows.
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Notes from Kaivinai Crafts
Guides, care tips and stories from behind the counter.
A morning in Nachiarkoil
How a lamp is cast in a village near Kumbakonam, from wax to brass.
How palm leaf baskets are woven in Ramanathapuram
From a young palmyra frond to a lidded basket: the drying, dyeing and weaving behind our palm leaf storage sets.
Kora grass, palm leaf or cane: choosing a basket
Three natural fibres from South India, how each one feels and wears, and which suits laundry, bread or storage.
Return-gift hampers: what you get for ₹450 a guest
Three hamper ideas at three prices, what goes in each, and how much time to allow before a wedding or housewarming.
Handmade things for a Pongal home
New clay pots, brass lamps and palm baskets: how families in Coimbatore prepare the house for Pongal, and where we help.
Copper tumblers: care, use and a few myths
Why copper darkens, how to clean it, how long to keep water in it, and what copper can and cannot do.
Why no two pieces match: what to expect from handmade
Small differences in colour, size and finish, and how to tell a natural variation from a fault when your parcel arrives.
Joining our artisan trip to Manamadurai
Two days, a potters’ village and a firing at dusk: what happens on our twice-yearly visit, and what it costs.
Planning return gifts?
Tell us the occasion and count. We will send three hamper ideas.