ONE OF A KIND, THOUGHTFULLY CRAFTED KANTHA AND CRAFTS WITH A STORY
Welcome to Kantha Karma
Honouring the Handmade
From our little narrowboat in Oxford, we at Kantha Karma curate a considered collection of kantha textiles, homeware, ceramics and one off pieces. Female-run and independent, we champion artisans and makers whose work reflects a slower pace and a deep appreciation for craft, beauty, function and everyday ritual.
Our Kantha
Stitched with excellence and artistry by survivors of exploitation, our repurposed, colourful quilts are bringing new life to the artisans who created them and to the homes they arrive in. Handcrafted from recycled cotton saris and elaborately freehand stitched by the female artisans of The Centre for Development and Peace’, a fair trade non-profit in Bangladesh.
The Trimaran kantha
❃ Handcrafted from layers of time softened, repurposed sari cloth, quilted together by hand using a traditional kantha stitch and rows of complex regional stitching.
❃ Size: 180cm x 100cm
❃ Care: Our kantha quilts are machine washable (and in fact get softer over more time & use). To extend the life of your kantha we recommend: limiting full washing, do not use bleach or harsh detergents, use cold settings and hang dry or tumble on low heat.
❃ This quilt has been handcrafted by the women artisans of ‘The Centre for Development and Peace’, a fair trade non-profit in Meherpur which trains, employs and supports more than 250 women. The CPD empowers the most vulnerable and at-risk women and children; widows, victims of trafficking and sex workers. Your purchase enables us to continue to directly support the livelihood of our women artisans. Find out more about their work here.
❃ The word 'kantha' means 'patched cloth' and skilful repairs simply enhance the vintage character of this quilt. All our quilts are perfectly imperfect, with subtle variations and patches that celebrate their handmade nature. Our vintage kantha quilts are handcrafted from vintage textiles which have lived a full life before becoming a kantha quilt.
❃ Our kantha are unique finds, not to be stumbled across again.
Arissa, a bold and bright little kantha. The front a vivid deep pink with gold trim, displaying colourful regional stitching. The reverse a blend of tomato red, blue and yellow in an uplifting and bold geometric print.
❃ Handcrafted from layers of time softened, repurposed sari cloth, quilted together by hand using a traditional kantha stitch and rows of complex regional stitching.
❃ Size: 112 x 90cm
❃ Care: Our kantha quilts are machine washable (and in fact get softer over more time & use). To extend the life of your kantha we recommend: limiting full washing, do not use bleach or harsh detergents, use cold settings and hang dry or tumble on low heat.
❃ This quilt has been handcrafted by the women artisans of ‘The Centre for Development and Peace’, a fair trade non-profit in Meherpur which trains, employs and supports more than 250 women. The CPD empowers the most vulnerable and at-risk women and children; widows, victims of trafficking and sex workers. Your purchase enables us to continue to directly support the livelihood of our women artisans. Find out more about their work here.
❃ The word 'kantha' means 'patched cloth' and skilful repairs simply enhance the vintage character of this quilt. All our quilts are perfectly imperfect, with subtle variations and patches that celebrate their handmade nature. Our vintage kantha quilts are handcrafted from vintage textiles which have lived a full life before becoming a kantha quilt.
❃ Our kantha are unique finds, not to be stumbled across again.
The Piyali Kantha
❃ Handcrafted from layers of time softened, repurposed sari cloth, quilted together by hand using a traditional kantha stitch and rows of complex regional stitching.
❃ Size: 180cm x 100cm
❃ Care: Our kantha quilts are machine washable (and in fact get softer over more time & use). To extend the life of your kantha we recommend: limiting full washing, do not use bleach or harsh detergents, use cold settings and hang dry or tumble on low heat.
❃ This quilt has been handcrafted by the women artisans of ‘The Centre for Development and Peace’, a fair trade non-profit in Meherpur which trains, employs and supports more than 250 women. The CPD empowers the most vulnerable and at-risk women and children; widows, victims of trafficking and sex workers. Your purchase enables us to continue to directly support the livelihood of our women artisans. Find out more about their work here.
❃ The word 'kantha' means 'patched cloth' and skilful repairs simply enhance the vintage character of this quilt. All our quilts are perfectly imperfect, with subtle variations and patches that celebrate their handmade nature. Our vintage kantha quilts are handcrafted from vintage textiles which have lived a full life before becoming a kantha quilt.
❃ Our kantha are unique finds, not to be stumbled across again.
EMPOWERING ARTISANS
As a peoples first business we focus on the well-being of our artisans. We work only with fair trade organisations that put artisans first.
All of our kantha is handcrafted by Basha and the Centre for Development and Peace who support women in need in Bangladesh; women at risk and survivors of sex trafficking, by providing them with dignified work and a chance to create a safer future.
Your purchase changes lives, builds futures and makes a difference in artisan’s lives around the world.
UPCYCLED AND SUSTAINABLE
Our planet comes first in all that we do. Kantha Karma supports ethically made, Fair Trade products, created with the least possible environmental impact. All of our crafts are carefully sourced from eco-friendly, naturally sustainable and recycled materials.
Champions of slow-living and lovers of Mother Nature, all of our one-of-a-kind, kantha is handcrafted from upcycled and vintage materials. This means no new dyes or inks, no chemical treatment, less energy, less water and no by-products of production; the only factory-produced supplies we use are thread.
All our packaging is plastic free, recycled and recyclable.
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Fair Trade
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Sustainability
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Creating Opportunities
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Plastic Free
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Always Handmade
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Vegan
