Exploring Pine

Pine needles, the thin leaves that grow on pine trees, are abundant in the northern regions of India, particularly in Himachal and Uttarakhand. Unfortunately, these dry needles on the forest floor contribute to forest fires and other environmental problems. In fact, more than 500 forest fires are reported in Himachal each season, causing significant damage to plant, animal, and human life as well as the environment.

To combat this issue, many local women and artisans are treating the pine needles and using them to create various decorative products. One such craft is pine needle basket weaving, which has been a centuries-old tradition and remains an inexpensive, natural, and unique craft. What makes it more unique is its texture, strength and incredible durability which will last many years. The pine products are pest free and can also be washed, making it a perfect bathroom accessory.

There are several local self-help groups and clusters in Himachal that work with pine needles, and House of Locals was able to connect with one of these organizations to explore the material and create new designs. The group consisted of twenty women who were trained by SudarshanaKumari, the founder of a self-help group that has trained thousands of women in pine needle craft making since 2007.

At first, House of Locals explored the baskets that the women were already trained in making. However, they later ventured into more complex designs, such as towel hangers, lights, and vessels that were relatively unique compared to what the women were used to creating. This experience showed House of Locals the importance of design integration in crafts and how essential it is for designers to work with local artisans. This collaboration not only exposes designers to new designs and working with crafts, but it also provides a significant learning experience for brands like House of Locals, which focus on sustainable handicrafts.

The entire pine collection of House of Locals aims to explore shapes and textures in everyday objects, with functionality as a top priority. The designers focused on the details of handcrafted shapes and manipulating the raw material to create unique shapes by hand. For instance, the towel hanger was made by creating a long, tail-like shape, which was later twisted and hand-woven at the knots to create a space for towels. They also created small storage spaces focusing on deformed shapes, such as coasters that could be used on a bed or table.

SHIBUI COLLECTION

The ultimate concept of the collection was to fuse local craftsmanship and sustainable utilization of a naturally abundant material: pine needles. House of Locals plans to explore more designs using pine needles for their future collections and engage more artisans in the process. This first small pine collection of contemporary daily objects made with stitched pines demonstrates how the sustainable use of local materials can create beautiful and functional objects while also supporting local communities.

ABOUT THE DESIGNS:

Our founder took Inspired from natural curves and languages, altering them for functional reasons to create objects redirected towards a contemporary visual identity that humorously plays with our perceptions. This collection takes two recognizable typologies and collides them. The ancient hand weaved stitching technique and a contemporary understanding of the human form.

(Insert pictures of some pine products)