About Us

Okhai offers handcrafted apparel and lifestyle products created by rural artisans from across India. These artisans are gifted with the talent and traditional skills to craft exquisite designs in styles that are unique to their culture and heritage.

Okhai products offer contemporary designs, all reasonably priced. Proceeds from sales help these artisans help themselves – Okhai’s mission is to encourage women from less privileged backgrounds to acquire new skills; to give them the self-confidence and self-esteem required to earn by their own industry and initiative; and to enable them to carry this newly discovered skill and confidence into the wider world. Okhai understands the rich culture and traditions that these rural communities are steeped in and translates this heritage into products by pairing traditional art with contemporary designs and modern processes.

As a brand, Okhai Handicrafts constitutes ladies’ wear, men’s wear, home décor products and accessories. Okhai products use mirror work, patchwork and embroidery created as a vibrant expression of the rural way of life, their rituals and their legends.

Okhai has been identified as a promising means of generating livelihood for hundreds of rural artisans. Okhai has made a significant contribution to the lives of the women artisans working with it, which has helped improve their economic as well as social status. Do watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xi0vhax9JQ

It continues its march towards fulfilling its vision of being a brand that symbolises empowerment of rural and semi-urban women while recognising and promoting traditional handicraft techniques that are in danger of dying out with increased industrial growth and rapid urbanisation.

It is with this in mind that Tata Chemicals Society for Rural Development (TCSRD) set up Okhai. With the support of TCSRD, self-help groups (SHGs) have been formed in the villages of Okhamandal and members of these groups are trained in the processes of modern handicraft production. At present, over 2300 rural artisans are benefiting from this programme, with a goal to reach 5,000 over the next five years. Artisans are earning a monthly income of Rs 500 to Rs 16,000 depending on the hours they work at home or the centre, their skill level and design difficulty. The idea is to ensure that the women can work at their pace and in their homes while managing their household. Special training on costing, designs and visual merchandising coupled with factory visits are provided on an ongoing basis to keep the women in touch with the latest trends, colours and fashions.

Okhai strives to bring the traditions of India to customers all around the world with its unique creations and products. It not only helps its artisans become wage earners, but also spreads awareness about the traditional crafts of the region, thus helping preserve a rich part of India’s national cultural heritage.