The Mumbai gift guide to good karma
Hand painted by artists using eco friendly paints and featuring limited edition Bollywood movie posters.
1. Bollywood poster child for the planet
Bollywood looks positively green on Indigreen 100 per cent eco-friendly T-shirts, jackets and accessories. Embellished with hand painted film poster art, dialogues and kitschy patchwork, these are crafted by employees who are assured fair wages, plus five per cent of Indigreen sale proceeds go to The Climate Project India.
Available at Ayamik, Shop No 1, Sea Palace, Near Hotel Sea Princess, Juhu Tara Road, Juhu, te. +(91) (0) 22 26606154 or order online at www.indigreen.co.in. Merchandise starts at Rs 1,800.
Soul Fuel's cute, small products are handmade from organic fibers and natural dyes.
2. Fuel for the soul
One of a kind, Soul F.u.e.l’s entire retail space is dedicated to a cause. Here you won’t only find products made by NGOs from all over India, but also volunteer information, NGO details and cause donation boxes. Every three months, new NGOs are given shelf life. Now showing: Aroma candles by ADAPT, silk wallets by Advitya and Welfare of Stray Dogs towels and cushions. You can be sure what you'll find here is 100 per cent handmade and unique.
Available at Shop No 12, New Jalsarshan, 288 Perry Cross Road, Bandra (W); tel. +91 (0) 22 65280465. Starts at Rs 100 onwards.
The artisans who work with Blue Banyan report a 60 per cent increase in income, according to the brand's website.
3. Root for a cause
Blue Banyan’s silver jewelry champions a dual cause -- raising your couture currency and supporting the employment of rural Indian artisans. The organization identifies indigenous skills, transforms them into high fashion and stocks them at the city’s hippest stores. Half of all profits go back to the artists. Especially crafty are their silver earrings molded in tree sap, chunky bejeweled bangles and crushed glass-painted pendants.
Available at The Bombay Store, FabIndia, Bombay Electric and Taj Khazana. Jewelery starts at Rs 500 to Rs 5,500.
Mango, sweet clover and litchi flavored honey.
4. The bee’s knees
Through her social enterprise Under the Mango Tree, MIT graduate Vijaya Pastala creates market access and trains Indian farmers to produce honey. 100 per cent natural, these gourmet products are available in a range of different flavors including mango, sweet clover and litchi. Pick up individual jars or sweeten the deal with the newly introduced yearly subscription, where seasonal honey is delivered to your doorstep every month.
Available at Moshe’s outlets, Indigo Delicatessen, Neelam Foodland in Khar (W), Mother Earth at Sobo Central Mall in Tardeo, or call +91 9833154478 for home delivery. Starts at Rs 120 for 200 gm, and Rs 1,500 for a yearly subscription.
Ultra hip, Malaga's bags have been spotted on fashion followers already.
5. Bag thief
Crafted by luxury accessory brand Malaga, these sepia-toned, stylish handbags commemorate the first anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai and are stamped with some of the city’s most recognizable icons -- the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Rajabai Clock Tower and Flora Fountain. Between Rs 5,000 to Rs 12,000 a piece and part of the proceeds are donated to Mumbai’s Police Department. Read the full CNNGo review.
Available at Aza, #21 Altamount Road, Kemps Corner; tel. +91 (0) 22 23530212. Bags are Rs 5,000 to Rs 12,000 each.
The visually impaired masseuses have memorized the under side of peoples' feet.
6. Footsy for the kneady
Metta Foot Reflexology Center and Spa is your good knead of the year. Here, visually impaired masseurs are trained to locate your problem areas, coaxing the pain right out with amazing dexterity. Owner Jonita Figueredo, a nurse-turned-yoga teacher and National Association for the Blind (NAB) volunteer, hopes Metta’s newly introduced gift vouchers are in time for the holiday season.
Metta Reflexology Spa 53, Suravi House, Pali Village, Bandra (W), tel. +91 9870719923. Treatments start at Rs 200 for 30 minutes.
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