Our People
Behind every piece we sell is a person, a place, and a practice older than us. These are the makers we work with — from the Nilgiri Hills to the potters’ colony in Dharavi — and the traditions their hands keep alive.
The people behind the pieces
We work directly with small artisan clusters across India — most of them family-run, most of them working with skills passed down over generations. Every collection at THS begins with a conversation in their workshop, not a spec-sheet. What we carry is what they choose to make, priced so that their time is met with fair value.
A short introduction to four of the communities we’re proud to work with today.
Where the craft comes from
Community 01
Community 01
Kumbharwada — the potters' colony inside Dharavi — has been shaped by generations of Prajapati families originally from Saurashtra. On kick-wheels, in open kilns, they still fire the terracotta diyas, planters, and earthen jars we carry. It is one of the oldest continuous craft neighbourhoods in the city.
Community 02
Community 02
Founded on Gandhian principles of self-reliance, the Gandhigram trust has kept khadi-spinning and natural-dye traditions alive in the south for decades. Indigo, madder root, pomegranate rind — the swatches on their walls colour the cotton pieces in our home-textile range. Slow-dyed, sun-dried, and finished by hand.
Community 03
Community 03
A traditionally nomadic community whose women are custodians of an extraordinary beadwork tradition — intricate necklaces, tassels, and jewellery strung with coloured glass beads and small shells. What began as a livelihood in weekly markets is now a fine craft, and each piece we carry follows the pattern language they have refined over generations.
Community 04
Community 04
The Toda are an indigenous pastoral community from the Nilgiris, known worldwide for pukhoor — a distinctive red-and-black embroidery on white cotton, worked entirely by counted-thread hand-embroidery. It is a GI-protected craft carried forward by the women of the settlement. We partner with them on shawls, throws, and smaller embroidered goods.
The everyday, made by hand
Every piece in the store carries a name and a place. If you ’d like to know more about the makers behind a specific product, or work with us on a commission, we’d love to hear from you.
