This March, we celebrated the strength, resilience, and adaptability of small businesses - showcasing and featuring some of our favourite Indian small businesses on our Instagram page. In this blog, we’re sharing 11 of our favourite Indian small businesses, and also including a quote from each of them on what they enjoy most about being part of the small business community
1. Tronc&Co. by Sisters Arushi and Aaditi
Tronc&Co. is a unique and charming small business that specialises in creating one of a kind handcrafted luxury boxes, trunks, bags, and wooden stands.
"What we enjoy most about being a small business is the relationships. We have a relationship with each and every one of our artisans and craftsmen and with every single client that we have the pleasure of working with. We can also take the time to give each piece that goes out, our undivided attention”
2. Sage & Poppy Co. by Usha Paul
Sage & Poppy Co. is a manifestation of Usha Paul’s experience, knowledge, and discerning understanding of the effects of fragrance. Sage & Poppy Co. focusses on principles of aromatherapy to creates beautiful handcrafted, natural skincare products that are gentle on the skin.
“Small businesses are always ready to help other small businesses, it’s nice to see the camaraderie and excitement of seeing another person’s vision of the world through their creativity. Very much like nature – the seed needs the soil, the rain waters the seed to grow. The endless cycle of growth and nature is bound with the fact that one without the other is not possible”
3. Radhika Surana
Radhika is is an artist, painter, and creative! She graduated with a degree in fine arts, and works as an independent artist. She displays her work in galleries across the country, and also through her website : www.radhikasurana.com
“Being on my own gives me the freedom to set up my work according to my own convenience and work at my own pace. It’s a creative process, and not performance driven, it depends on the feel and mod of oneself” – Radhika Surana
Shop her work through her website. Radhika is also on Instagram as @radhika.surana
4. Navratna Gems by Mickey Dutt
Mickey is a self-taught astrologer and gemologist. He’s been honing and perfecting his craft for close to 15 years now. Mickey’s practice involves demystifying the deeply intertwined relationship between astrology, gemmology, and the Vedic arts, and making them accessible. He sells his gems through personal consultations and can be reached via his Instagram.
“I love visiting workshops, meeting craftsmen and kaarigars, talking, learning and making friends. It’s about sharing what I know, and being honest and open. I love seeing joy on people’s faces”
5. Pavan Buragohain
In his own words, “I am a self-taught Artist , Sculptor and Luthier. Drawing came naturally to me at an early age. I graduated from The National Institute Of Design (NID) With a professional diploma In Animation. After spending 10 years In the Industry as a freelance Illustrator I worked on the Disney Animation film “Arjun The Warrior Prince", as its Creative Director, Character Designer and Action Choreographer. I spent another 10 years in the advertising and animation industry as a creative director. Finally I decided to get back to my first love sculpture. I've been sculpting for just 2 years now, doing Portrait busts of friend’s parents. I feel like sculpture is what I really love doing.” Pavan is not on social media, but can be reached via email at pavanillus@gmail.com
6. Miche Artisan Bakery by Mayank Gupta
Miche aims to preserve and advance the art of artisanal baking, building on the principles of sourcing locally and sustainable production while providing the highest quality of baked goods.
“Miche is a large, rustic boule, or round loaf of bread which can weigh 3 kilograms or more. That was my inspiration. I went through hundreds of loafs of bread, changing the recipes, controlling and observing the various changes every small change in recipe lead to. Till I finally was introduced to the Miche. That to me is perfect bread. Its healthy, crusty, packed full of complex flavours, and great to look at. The first time I baked this bread, I knew it was mine. Every baker is looking for their perfect loaf. I found mine in the Miche and then it was clear, I had to start – Miche Artisan Bakery”. – Mayank Gupta
You can shop Miche’s products through their website (they deliver across Delhi!), and follow them on Instagram
7. ASYA by Ambika Nehru
ASYA is a socially conscious store that works with rural women, creating beautiful chikankari and hand embroidery clothes.
“Clients appreciate not just our cause but the finesse of our work as well. This is important to us because we are a business that believes in superior craftsmenship. Chikankari embroidery is threatened by mediocrity and machine made look-alikes. It is our aim to keep the craft alive in its finest form”.
8. BlockedOnPoint by Benu Singh
BlockedonPoint is an online store dealing in Bedlinen, Yardages, Shawls, Crockery and gifting. The journey began years ago, when Benu, began working with artisans and curating (and creating) collections for family and friends. Today, supported by her community, Benu has set up a website to showcase curated collections of block print accessories : www.blockedonpoint.com For Benu, a small business is all about relationships and reciprocity - and being grounded in the community that they work with.
9. MotherEarth's by Malika and Prerna Aswani
Malika began her journey into the health, wellness and beauty space when she returned to education in her early 40s to complete her naturopathic nutrition diploma - this sparked Malika’s curiosity in understanding the impact of what we put into our bodies, but also what we put on it. Supported by her daughter, Prerna, Malika's passion project has now turned into a beautiful, natural, and holistic small business.
“Our clients and customers are our biggest strength and motivator, as a small business, we know each of their skincare needs at a personal level. This drives us and pushes us to go further and formulate custom blends for the MotherEarth’s community”.
10. ASAL by Shripal Shah
Shripal started ASAL in 2001 as a way to revive traditional, sustainable, and renewable Indian practices. Today the organisation consists of 375 families engaging with farming, handicrafts, and manual processing. All products receive individual attention, and high level of detail. ASAL is a response to today’s culture of hyper-consumerism and emphasises sustainable ways of living in an effort to combat growing environmental crises. We're grateful to call Shripal a friend, and would like to note that all Sonya Sapru Designs khadi and sustainable textiles are sourced from ASAL. Shop the website, and follow their Instagram for more!
11. REKH by Rohini Singh
Rohini is an artist, and inspired by her return to Jaipur in 2014, began turning her art into beautiful block prints, and creating wearable art!
“we are a small team, and everyone has their own rhythm, it’s fun and creative to be part of that, and get everything done together. It’s part of the process!”
Sonya Sapru Designs is a sustainable, zero-waste small business focussed on creating breathable, personalised, and natural clothing. We are rooted in India, but ship internationally. Explore our website, or set up a time, and visit our studio virtually - we'd love to get to know you.
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