The Ideal Home and Garden August 2019 | 59
Designer Speak
Wheredidyoustudydesign from?
I believe design is natural and intrinsic to all living
creatures. I am a self-taught film maker and paper
maker. Design fell into place along the journey.What prompted you to choose sustainability?
After shifting my base from Mumbai to Bengaluru,
I taught myself to make paper and set up a paper
making studio. Paper and light seemed like an
almost natural combination and I designed a
range of lights from my paper; explored many
waste natural fibres like banana and lokta. Natural
fibres led me to engage with many interesting
rural women’s craft/livelihood projects and some
urban solid waste projects. Years later I teamed up
with Radeesh Shetty of The Purple Turtle and we
started Oorjaa with an intent to explore sustainable
materials. We worked with quarry waste and we
made a new material of it by combining it with
natural fibre and what we came up with is a range
called Wabi-Sabi. Today, my interest still lies with
solid waste and how design can address the issue of
the vast amounts of waste that urban areas generate.What are the products that you offer?
The paper we make in my studio is used to make a
range of lights, stationery and home accessories. I
also do site-specific light sculptures and customised
papers, books and lights.How do you sell them?
Mostly through my website http://www.oorja.in. Also, through all The Purple Turtle stores and a few
native stores in Mumbai, Delhi, Kozhikode, Cochin and Ahmedabad.Where does your design inspiration come from?
Good design is a response to people and life around you. The planet is full of both inspiration
and problems, so a good designer has to respond to that.JennyPinTo
(Jenny PinTo)