One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure

The word ”sari” derives from Sanskrit and means ”strip of cloth”. This traditional Indian attire is typically regarded as a symbol of Indian and Bangladeshi culture and heritage.  The earliest depiction can be traced back as far as the Indus Valley Civilisation (2800-1800 BC), and in it’s current form, there are more than 80 recorded ways of wearing a sari. Despite this, Indian urban women are choosing to discard the traditional sari and are adopting a more western-style clothing look. 

Dressing in a sari can be both time consuming and unpractical. These days the sari is becoming more and more associated with marriage and is mostly worn during special festive occasions.

The abandonment of this garment has not only affected fashion, but has also had a significant impact on the environment, with hundreds of thousands of beautiful saris being thrown away. Yet as the saying goes, ”one man’s garbage is another man’s treasure”. Thousands of silk sari remnants have been salvaged from textile mills and are being turned into stunning handknotted carpets. 

These beautiful sari silk carpets, made entirely from recycled silk sari strands, are conceived through a time consuming process that can take well over half a year to complete. Sari silk carpets can be found in a wide range of vibrant colours and styles. With their bold and intricate patterns they are innovative ”one of a kind” fashion statements that not only look great in the home, but also pay tribute to the history of Indian and Bangladeshi culture.