The story you've wanted to hear

Sabith and I come from cultures with strong craft traditions– India and Mexico. Ever since we can remember, we've both been fascinated with the way in which earth (pronounced: tlāli) and water (pāni) transform basic elements of nature into intricate pieces backed by tradition. 

My childhood home was filled with beautiful pottery and textiles from Jalisco, México– all thanks to my mother, a Jalisco native and primary school teacher with an interior design background. Some of my childhood memories include my sister and I carrying pottery pieces from Jalisco to our home in the U.S. I recall protesting the amount of pottery that we were all carrying and my mother simply responding with a smirk. As soon as we reached home and unwrapped each piece, I would look at her, my face lit up in amazement, and she would respond with a nod. These pieces would not only stay in our home but also make their way into her classroom (as props) to promote culture and foster her students' curiosity in learning more about their roots.

Similarly, Sabith was growing up over 8,000 miles away also as a teacher's kid. In India, Sabith's parents were Urdu language teachers– with an entrepreneurial spirit and creative eye. He recalls his mother teaching gold embroidery, known as zari and typical in his home state of Karnataka, to young women at his childhood home on the weekends and during school day evenings. Sabith was fascinated by the way the gold stood amid the brightly-colored silk fabrics. At the same time, he was moved by his mother's generosity to teach these young women a craft, rooted in tradition but that could quickly turn into self-generating income for these women and their families. 

Fast track over 20+ years later. Sabith and I are married and dreaming up a way to bring crafts from all over the world to people– all while navigating Year 1 of marriage. So we set up shop (via Etsy) and began to sell crafts from the artisans that we met on our global travels. Still, we knew that our dreams were bigger.

Fast track to the present. Here we are, almost six years of marriage under our belt, bringing you tlali•pani– a lifestyle based on respect and support for people and traditions, appreciation for learning and knowledge sharing, and commitment to a sustainable cycle of economic empowerment and community development.