Meet the Tribe: Greta
When did you first start making your own music? I've been singing since I was old enough to talk, but first began playing live shows with original songs when i was 16. I started to...
Travels to Kashmir
"Journeying to Kashmir was a breath-taking experience with the contrast of staggering beauty and devastating political unrest. I had the opportunity to visit the artists’ workshop and was welcomed in to the home of our supplier."
Our Kashmiri collection holds a special place in the hearts of the tree fam. With a partnership still standing at over 15 years, we have been bringing authentic bohemia into your kitchens with beautiful, colourful and cultural tableware.
Our founders John and Wendy met our supplier at his market stand all those 15 years ago. It is a three-generation family business with over 100 years of experience. Our Kashmiri products are still made in the original workshop by talented artisans. And yes, this workshop is packed with old-school charm.
Our Kashmiri Collection is from (you guessed it) Kashmir. Kashmir is a beautiful mountainous and lake region in India surrounded by the great Himalayans. Srinagar, where we source our products, is the main city known for its beautiful Dal Lake. Dal Lake is famous for its popular early morning markets for local trading and chatting. Filled with fruits, vegetables, flowers, and spices, it epitomises the whimsical, rustic and colourful Srinagar experience.
Unfortunately, this poetic place is a war-torn area and has been for 60 years. Whilst we think we have had a bad lock-down in recent years, Srinagar experienced a three-year lockdown starting in 2019 due to conflict followed by Covid-19. The internet was cut-off for a whole year. It is so so important to us to support these locals and to help keep their long-lived and unique traditions alive.
More traditional Kashmiri pieces are crafted from paper pulp (paper Mache for us sophisticated folks). Our old-school Kashmiri boxes that we have sold since the beginning are crafted from this process. To create them, recycled paper is soaked in water for 8 days to get rid of any ink. The paper pulp is moulded into the desired shape and slowly dried in the sun for a few days. Then the fun part begins...
COLOUR! This is where our tinware products start their journey. Each piece has a base colour painted and left to dry for a couple of days. Once dry, a handful of artists will start designing the shape of the pattern. Then it's detail time. Each piece is specially hand painted to add depth and intricacy to the floral pattern, making them unique and precious!
The Tin is food-safe stainless steel. The authentic paint is not dishwash or microwave safe and must be handled with some care.
Bring this fabulous tradition into your home and feel your inspiration soar.
"I am so grateful I was able to experience the rich culture and the long-lived tradition behind our colourful Kashmiri collection"
