Kollam native Amal S Pillai describes his entry into arts and crafts as accidental. At 31, he remembers being sidelined during college due to a fracture in his left hand – a handicap that propelled him towards handicrafts. Short on money, he improvised, swapping satin ribbon for scrap fabric from the tailor and using rolled newspapers as twine.

That resourcefulness laid the foundation for Amsham Handmade, established in 2015, her sustainable creative initiative based in Kochi and Chennai. Over the past decade, it has become a practice focused on recycling, restoring old clothes, bottles and cable wires, while also hosting workshops and donation drives.