Handcrafted lacquered wooden products are traditionally made in villages in Southern India, particularly in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The wood used to make our jump ropes and pencil sharpeners comes from the Ankudu tree, a local tree that grows rampantly throughout the region. It is a renewable resource, as it grows quickly and easily.

The artisan group that makes our wooden items manages their own plantations of the trees, reducing deforestation. They use paint derived from vegetable dyes, so that they are safe and toxin –free. The skilled crafts-people use a lathe to make the small products and carefully apply the dye, maintaining a shining coat throughout the product.

The communities who make tout wooden products benefit from production and see the benefits of fair trade within their own lives. It is a joy to share their high quality wares and support them according to fair trade principles of social and environmental integrity.