Founder of the homegrown label ellementry, Ayush Baid grew up in a family that had been involved in the business of handicrafts and lifestyle products for over thirty years. While pursuing a program in data analytics at University College London, the young entrepreneur analysed his family’s export business and discovered an opportunity to introduce kitchenware and dinnerware in the Indian market. Noticing a lack of attention to detail in the existing market in terms of design and food safety, Ayush set out to establish ellementry. Built on the pillars of sustainability and functionality, the brand offers handcrafted products that are not only pleasing to the eye but also food-safe. We’re in conversation with Ayush, who lets us in on the brand’s sustainable blueprint, its future endeavours, and more.
What does the practice stand for?
At ellementry, our practice stands for sustainability in everything we do. For us, it's crucial to create beautiful, functional, sustainable, and environmentally friendly products. That's why we only use sustainable and responsibly sourced materials and prioritise sustainable practices in our head office. Sustainability is not just a buzzword but a way of life, and we're committed to positively impacting the environment through our practices and products.
Tell us more about the role sustainability plays in the ellementry blueprint?
Sustainability plays a central role in the ellementry blueprint. From the materials we use to the manufacturing process, sustainability is at the forefront of our thinking. We only use sustainable and responsibly sourced materials, like wood from certified vendors and our proprietary material Ecomix, which is 100% biodegradable. We also ensure that our manufacturing processes follow sustainable practices. We prioritise water conservation, waste reduction, and energy efficiency in our manufacturing facilities. We use various materials in our manufacturing process, including terracotta, ceramic, wood, paper mâché, galvanised iron, glass, and more. We are committed to creating eco-conscious wares that are both stylish and practical.
Our commitment to sustainability also extends beyond our products and manufacturing process. We prioritise sustainable practices in our head office, like using solar panels, organic cultivation, and rainwater harvesting. Overall, sustainability is a critical element of the ellementry blueprint, and we're committed to creating products that are not only beautiful and functional but also sustainable and eco-conscious.
How easy/difficult is it for you to find the balance between functionality and aesthetics?
Finding the balance between functionality and aesthetics is a fun and creative challenge for us at ellementry. The beauty of a product is as important as its functionality, and we're committed to creating beautiful and practical designs. Our products are designed by experienced and skilled artisans who understand the importance of form and function. They work together to create designs that are aesthetically pleasing, functional, and serve a purpose. It's challenging to strike the perfect balance between functionality and aesthetics. However, we can create beautiful and practical products with collaboration, creativity, and attention to detail. Overall, we're proud of our products and the balance we've achieved between functionality and aesthetics, and we're committed to continuing to create beautiful, practical designs that serve a purpose.
Finally, what's coming up next for the brand?
At ellementry, we're focused on becoming a one-stop-shop lifestyle brand for all homeware needs. We've recently expanded our product offerings by introducing our ellementry living furniture range. We will continue introducing new and exciting products to our collections, including kitchenware, serve ware, and tableware. Our goal is to make ellementry a one-stop shop for all our consumers' homeware needs, and as part of that, we're working towards opening more stores across India. This year, we aim to open over thirty stores, giving our customers more opportunities to explore our products in person.
We've also recently begun shipping internationally and have launched the brand online and offline with partners like Lifestyle Landmark Group. We're committed to building our international presence further and expanding into markets in Europe and the US. Overall, we're excited about the future of ellementry and our continued commitment to bringing sustainable, beautiful, and functional products to our customers.
Words Unnati Saini
Date 26-06-2023