05 December,2010 12:25 PM IST | | Sowmya Rajaram
Two women are trying to do their bit for traditional art and craft communities and the environment through a cosy little store that has opened at Versova
Smita Deo and Meenakshi Mirajgaoker have known each other since they were seven. Decades later the friends have turned business partners through a little shop that's opened doors at Andheri's Versova.
Our Lil Bit is stocked with conscious products that encourage traditional
culture, art and community. PICs/ sowmya Rajaram
The brightly-lit Our Lil Bit (OLB) stocks textiles, home decor products and clothes. Products that 'mean something' have come to include bags made from non-violent leather (leather from animals that have died a natural death), traditional urlis made by NGOs down south and kurtas and sarees manufactured from handwoven fabrics sourced from craftsmen across the country.
"The idea was to become a retail platform for scores of artisans and NGOs working with traditional methods and materials. A lot of these organisations are doing great work, but don't have the space to showcase their products," says Mirajgaoker.
So, you have terracotta water pots that will dress up a drab desk while keeping your water cold naturally, colourful chappals made by NGOs in Gujarat and vibrant storage boxes made from palm reed and banana leaf fibre. "We want to keep our carbon footprint as low as possible, while re-introducing some of the country's oldest and best practices for making products," says Mirajgaoker.
Refreshingly, all that talk of authenticity and originality doesn't come with a hefty price tag. From the cane
storage boxes to the cheese platters and silk kurtas, you pay budget prices. "We've heard that from a lot of people. Most other stores that stock similar natural products charge the moon for it," Deo laughs.
OLB extends its down-to-earth policy to even after you've left the store. "We have a standing policy where we ask customers to bring used products back to us if they want to get rid of them. We'll make sure they're recycled or reused," says Mirajgaoker.
Sure enough, take a look at the tags on their clothes, and you see what the two women are talking about. It's all part of their attempt to reduce waste and stay as mindful of preserving the environment as possible.
"And if there's ever a time when a calamity strikes the city and a collection drive needs to be organised for clothes and such, we'd like to become a point of contact and outreach," adds Deo.
For now though, OLB looks like a charming little place to let you shop while helping the planet and those less fortunate than you.
At: Beach Queen, JP Road, Versova, Andheri (W).
Call: 6370011. Open from 11.30 am to 8.30 pm. Monday closed
