Simplicity and Recycling: What is a Chindi rug?

Eco-friendly living is a mammoth subject and navigating your way may not be that easy. If the thought of decorating a home in the most 'green' way is top of your agenda, then you can not look past chindi rugs.

A rug can bring a fresh injection of colours to any room. You can style it with different decorative accents to create gorgeous rooms that exudes character, depth and personal style. Created with sustainability on our mind, Chindi rug is a considered design underscored by ethically minded craftsmanship. This recycled rug uplifts a home, and is a timeless interior aesthetic which makes it worth to consider.

 

What is a Chindi Rug?

'Chindi' is a word from Hindi language implying scraps of clothes. Chindi or the rag rug is a name given to the floor covering created in a cluster of villages and towns of Northern and Deccan India.

They are an aesthetically pleasing addition to your home due to their handmade nature, and often a colour palette of bold and playful hues. The hand-plaited technique adds an element of subtle texture to any space and completely transforms your space with colour.

How green is my Chindi Rug?

A chindi rug utilises carefully sourced natural fibres such as cotton which are hand braided and sewn in different shapes to create a vibrant beauty. Since Aksa is a fair trade shop, you can relax knowing your rug has been made with sustainability and empowers the artisans who hand-crafted this.

The raw material can be sourced from either the textile industry (post-industrial, byproduct or waste) or, from the end-of-life residue of fabrics in use in households (post-consumer).

It is a playful way to create a whole new mood in your home. These rugs come in vibrant colours and neutral shades.

How is it Made?

Since a chindi rug is made by weaving pieces of torn clothes together, the process is a bit comprehensive.

• The first step involves gathering the raw materials - basically a lot of cloth strips which can be cotton.
• These cloth strips are then washed and sorted into huge piles based on their colour.
• Next, the cloth is cut out in equally long and wide strips.
• Since a rug can be given an shape albeit rectangle and circle/round shapes are most popular, the product designer and artisan finalise the shape, size, and design patterns for the rug.
• Once that is done, all desired strips are hand braided per the required specifications.
• The next step is to sew together the overlapping pieces and voila, a timeless piece is created!

 

Conclusion

Aksa's philosophy is closely connected to nature and people. Our simple yet functional products reflect this. You can check out our colourful chindi area rug here.