OUR STORY
Our inception was through an epiphany moment our founder experienced when, as a student, he visited a major ceramic production hub in India and saw heaps of production rejects thrown on the roadside. This experience was taken ahead as a self-initiated graduation project to turn these production rejects into a reusable material, an endeavour to turn linear ceramic production into a circular process.
Since then, after multiple tests, interacting with veterans and peers, being recognized by international organizations - we have come a far way ahead to turn what was once a student project into a high potential commercial venture.
We tested numerous material compositions with various production methods for ceramics over months. This was made possible through generous support from National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad and various other studios who generously let us use their infrastructure, shared their knowledge, experience and resources to help us co-create TatvaMix.
Since day one, the aim was to be able to reuse the waste as a raw material for multiple production cycles, only then would we be able to make the process truly circular. Hence, rather than using cement or resin it was decided to use natural binders which after firing turn the whole material composition into a mono-material, allowing us to recycle it again and again.
Our first prototype was made using 70% recycled content and was well received by potential users like you. We participated in pop-up stalls to offer people the first hand experience of our material & products and seek their feedback. Immediately after successfully making the first prototype our story was covered by a major digital publication and we received an overwhelmingly positive response from customers, institutions and brands - inquiring about where they can buy our products and build synergistic collaborations. We are truly grateful to you for believing in us throughout and being patient until we were ready to offer our innovation for leading a greener lifestyle.
Adding to this, we were backed by a government grant for seed support to initiate our operations and turn this student project into a commercial activity, enabling us to deliver value through a triple bottom line approach - people, planet, profit.
We now invite you to use our recycled ceramic wares and be a Green Samaritan to lead the change in your tribe.
NEED & NECESSITY
Archeology has shown us that ceramics remain unweathered for centuries.
Imagine the prodigious amount of waste landfilled by production units across the country & the world!
Amount of clay used by one ceramic production cluster in India annually is 7.2 Lakh tons
Annual wastage of fired pieces at this cluster is 21,600 tons
Multiply this annual wastage by
50 years of production
The waste generated is equal to
an 18 storey building/
the size of a football field
OUR TEAM
MAKERS
Hardworking and enthusiastic, Kailash and Kanchan are the hands behind those beautiful products that make you a Green Samaritan. They’re constantly working towards polishing their skills and everyday is a new learning for them.
ROSA ABRAHAM
- Ceramic Wizard -
Production Manager
Love for clay, and with an apron on, you would generally see Rosa helping our makers give a lump of clay, a second life. With a strong drive to live an environmentally conscious lifestyle, she believes that small lifestyle changes would go a long way. Rosa handles all things clay at the studio, whether it be inside or outside the kiln, every piece is closely administered by her watchful eyes.
SURYANKA BAGRI
- Circularity Wizard -
Communication Manager
Passionate about living a low-waste lifestyle, Suryanka constantly tries to be mindful of her decisions and proudly takes onus of her actions towards the environment. At Earth Tatva she's the wizard behind the smooth and systematic functioning of our e-store, while also making sure we’re adhering to circular processes at the studio. If you need any help with your order, you know who you need to talk to.
SHASHANK NIMKAR
- Master Wizard -
Founder & CEO
Maker at heart, Shashank enjoys exploring different materials and strives to make positive things happen through collaboration and co-creation. He initiated the work for Earth Tatva as a part of his graduation project for Master’s programme at National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad and since then he is on a mission to turn ceramic into a circular material. Secret documents suggest he started making mugs from recycled ceramics as he is a big fan of hot chocolate.
OUR JOURNEY
FOUNDER'S MESSAGE
When I started working on Earth Tatva as a student project I had no idea how it would turn out to be, the only aim I had was to be able to use the fired ceramic rejects for multiple production cycles. Owing to the support from hundreds of individuals, either through their own benevolence or their organization’s capacity, Earth Tatva is a reality today.
Earth Tatva is not just a brand or an organization but is essentially a testament to a positive society, in which, when one starts seeking change and works towards it through collaboration, people are more than happy to offer any help they can to materialize that change. My experience of interacting and working with people from diverse backgrounds has reinforced my faith in one of the most inspiring proverbs:
“If you want to go fast, walk alone. If you want to go far, walk together.”
If you want to pursue something that has been on your mind for a while but haven’t been able to materialize it, there is no better time to get on to it than now. I am a true believer of the positive cumulative effect of small genuine efforts. If we can do it, you can do it too! And together we can make the world a better place, today onwards.