Five strands of repurposed textiles-covered wooden beads with alternating gold-tone beads intertwine to create a kaleidoscope of color and culture. This jewelry craft creates a lasting change for artisans by offering them dignified work with fair wages and safe working conditions.
- Hand-carved wooded beads made from wood furniture scaps
- Repurposed cotton textiles cover the wood beads
- Measures 17.5" at the shortest strand with a 3" extender
- Uses metal beads to create necklace links
- Each is unique, color and patterns vary
- Sustainably handmade by women artisans in India
Beauty isn't perfect, it's authentic. This piece is artistically created by hand where beauty and imperfections go together wonderfully. Please accept and appreciate minor imperfections and variations which are true characteristics of this craft.
design: Five intertwining strands of fabric-wrapped wooden beads in a riot of colors and prints, spaced with small gold-tone metal beads and finished with a matching gold-tone chain and extender.
size: Shortest strand measures 17.5" with a 3" extender chain; remaining strands graduate longer, creating a layered, cascading drape.
material: Hand-carved wood beads (from reclaimed furniture scraps) wrapped in repurposed cotton sari textiles, strung with gold-tone metal spacer beads and a gold-tone chain closure.
features: Five-strand cascading design, mixed print and color combinations, gold-tone metal spacer beads, extender chain for adjustable fit, made from reclaimed wood and repurposed textiles
care: Wipe clean with a soft, dry cloth and store flat or hanging away from moisture and direct sunlight to protect the fabric-wrapped beads.
disclaimer: Because each bead is individually wrapped in a scrap of repurposed sari cloth, color placement and pattern will vary piece to piece, making every necklace one of a kind.
The Story
This necklace is built from recycled sari cloth, the vibrant cotton and silk fabric worn as everyday and ceremonial dress across India. Rather than letting worn or offcut sari textiles go to waste, artisans cut them into small pieces and use them to cover hand-carved wooden beads, so no two beads carry quite the same print or color combination.
The wooden beads themselves begin as scraps from furniture-making, hand-carved into rounds before being wrapped in cloth. Layering strands of these beads together is a way of multiplying the fabric's patterns into a single piece, so the necklace reads as a kaleidoscope built from many small, individual acts of reuse rather than one continuous cloth.
This approach to jewelry making is part of a broader movement among artisan groups in India to turn textile waste into wearable goods, giving new life to fabric that would otherwise be discarded while keeping the color sensibility of sari cloth visible in the finished piece.
Women artisans in India hand-carve small wooden beads from reclaimed furniture wood, then cut and wrap scraps of recycled sari cotton tightly around each one, securing the fabric so the bead's shape and the cloth's pattern both stay intact. The wrapped beads are sorted by color and print before being restrung by hand, alternating with gold-tone metal spacer beads, into five graduated strands that are then joined at a common clasp. Because each bead is wrapped individually from a different scrap of cloth, the stringing itself becomes a design decision made strand by strand.
Craft & Materials
- Made In: India
- Craft Tradition: Recycled sari textile beadwork
- Ideal For: Anyone who wants a bold, colorful statement necklace with a story behind the materials
- Wear It With: Let it stand alone over a solid-color top or simple neckline so the layered color and pattern take center stage
- Purpose: Statement necklace, layering piece, gift for a textile or fair-trade jewelry lover
- Metal: Gold-tone metal spacer beads and chain
Questions & Answers
What are the beads made of?
Each bead is a hand-carved piece of reclaimed wood, wrapped in a scrap of repurposed cotton sari fabric, so the wood provides the shape and the cloth provides the color and pattern.
Will my necklace look exactly like the photo?
Not exactly. Because the beads are wrapped from individual scraps of recycled sari cloth, the mix of colors and prints varies from piece to piece, making each necklace unique.
How long is the necklace and is it adjustable?
The shortest of the five strands measures 17.5" with a 3" extender chain, so you have a little flexibility in how it sits, while the other strands drape progressively longer for a layered effect.
How should I care for it?
Keep it dry and out of direct sunlight, and wipe the beads gently with a soft cloth rather than submerging or scrubbing them, since the wood and fabric are not waterproof.
Who makes this necklace?
It's handmade by women artisans in India working under fair-trade conditions, with fair wages and safe working conditions as part of the production process.
