Collector: Matt Lee

Matt Lee is an artist and teacher from the UK, currently in Bangalore. He collects matchboxes across India and has 600 of them now. Featured here are some of the quirky and unseen ones. I recognised a few.

Indian matchboxes are tiny and contain just enough matchsticks to last you for a day. The result is that you’ll see these lying around a lot. I also like that so much colour and fun goes into something with a short life.

Though the ones here have been immortalised.

Via: Pii friend and writer, Amulya Shruthi. Click here to know more about Matt Lee.

Cotton thread.

Cotton thread packaging in cotton thread packaging.

Cotton thread is used in India to pack a lot of things. From parcels to your idli-vada evening takeaway.

Really like the red-ink stamped brown paper wrap that advertises this Ahmedabad store’s range.

Via: Avani Tanya who I (barely) mentored for her soulful Bangalore project which you can view here.

Metaphor Racha

“Metapor Racha’ believes in the soul full imperfections created by skilled hands and questioning the perception of beauty, which forms an integral part of any utilitarian design.”

The designer duo, Ravikiran and Chandrashekar, create poetry in khadi. I loved the little sonnet they use for a shopping bag the best. Meet them here.

Pic courtesy: The Metaphor Racha FB page.

Bento.

  Grey Garden has launched their Bento meals. Bento, traditionally a Japanese convenience meal, is meticulously packed with love (and a lot of times, with elaborate decorations on the food). The food is packed into either a disposable box using eco-friendly materials (like the one featured here) or there are the more expensive ones made of lacquerware. In India, we call it tiffin box.  But sushi in a tiffin box would so not be right, no?

Pic courtesy: The Grey Garden FB page.

TJ’s.

 

 

Out of all the TJ’s packaging I just went through, this one spoke of an India that’s fast disappearing. I thought I should feature it before we move completely to an e-docs in e-folders world.

P.S -

TJ, by the way, is Tihar Jail. The inmates make these. Click here to see all their products.

Do Bandar.

Do Bandar soap and lotion bars have absolutely nothing commercial about them or the packaging. Do bandar are the two monkeys who started it (two very pretty girls actually) and they’re right there on their product. Held together by a sturdy strip of dried palm leaf. Loved that touch. I saved mine and later used it to wrap up a gift.

A thin rim of colour around the main black & white label denotes the scent and ingredients used in a particular soap. Reminds me of a desi Lush :) Meet the bandars on their FB page, here.

Gopuram kumkum & haldi dibbas.

These two little boxes contain haldi and kumkum. Each one promises to sit comfortably in the middle of your palm while you stand on tip-toe and peek into a mirror to apply kumkum on your forehead.

The colours on the boxes, the illustrations and the fonts – All kitsch. All Goddess-friendly.

Via (and photographed) by Archana Srinivas of Rang Decor.

Meet the entire range of Gopuram products here.