Traditional craft techniques
The artisans that we work with and the traditional craft techniques that they employ are essential to Indikon.
Indikon aims to tell the untold stories of the highly skilled traditional artisans that handcraft textiles, with a focus on transparency on where the products are sourced and who made them.
We work with different groups of artisans who have been practising their traditional crafts for generations, many of which risk being lost through automation.
A tale of cultures
Indikon is inspired by bringing cultures together through the medium of textiles. While globalisation has caused many problems in the textile sector, Indikon strongly believes that the solution is not only to go local, but also to be collaborative, mindful, and representative. Indikon is proud to be an international brand, bringing together the best of different cultures, with a strong focus on sustainability - not just environmental sustainability, but also social and cultural sustainability.
Indikon's first collection is a tale of two cultures, bringing together the ancient cultures of Greece and India. The textiles are made using traditional Indian crafts, while the designs are inspired by Ancient Greek pottery, architecture, landscapes and traditions, and the designs are developed in Belgium.
Ethically and sustainably made
Indikon strives to be as sustainable as possible. We are mindful of sustainability and the environment, and have implemented this in several aspects of our business. We only work with natural fabrics and environmentally friendly dyes. Whenever possible, we work with deadstock fabrics, and try to minimize waste by purchasing and re-using rejects. This also ensures that the artisans are compensated for their work.
All our textiles are packaged in re-usable Indikon cloth bags, and our mailer bags are made of 100% recycled plastic and/or compostable materials. Our promotional and communication materials are mostly printed on cotton rag paper, which is made from textile waste from Jaipur.
We also strongly believe in social and cultural sustainability. We only work with artisans that have good working conditions and fair wages. We also try to help sustain the crafts and traditions of artisans that have been practicing their craft for generations. In an industry that is quickly being industrialized and traditions are being lost, we try to work with artisans that use traditional knowledge.
Community outreach
To give back to the artisan communities that we work with, Indikon works together with lawyers in India to provide legal aid to our partner artisans on topics of interest to them. This ranges from workshops to specific ad hoc legal advice, and can relate to their professional as well as personal lives.
For the production of our merino wool blankets, we work together with Himadri Hans Handloom (HHH), an NGO employing mostly women artisans in remote villages. They are paid at least minimum wage and receive a medical and provident fund. Every couple of months HHH provides a mobile medical van, which gives free medical check-ups to all their employees.