Rakshabandhan is almost here, marking the onset of the Indian festive season — and as many would tell you, the very best time of the year. Of course, you’d want to celebrate with something that’s special for your sibling. What would add a touch of finesse to your festive shopping this season are the myriad homegrown brands in India that offer some of the best and unique rakhis that are handcrafted, bespoke and conscious of the world around us.
Here are our pick of 10 best unique and offbeat rakhi and rakhi presents:
1. Ptal
Aimed at reviving the dying craft form of the indigenous thathera community of Jandiala Guru in Amritsar, Ptal is a homegrown brand that practises India’s only UNESCO-listed craft form. For Rakshabandhan this year, Ptal has partnered with Nomad, a Delhi-based slow fashion brand. Get yourself a hand-crafted rakhi for your sibling, complete with a personalised gift card that conveys the perfect message for the festival.
2. Bombay Sweet Shop
Bombay’s snazzy, young halwai has consistently attempted to outdo itself with innovative approaches to gifting every festival. On Rakshabandhan 2022, as part of its collaboration with the classic Indian food brand Parle-G, The Bombay Sweet Shop has partnered with Seva Vivek, an NGO that empowers tribal communities in the Palghar district of Maharashtra, with eco-friendly bamboo rakhis. Deliver it to your sibling with one of their curated rakhi gift hampers, which add a touch of nostalgia to your childhood as well.
3. Phool
An Indian biomaterial start-up based out of Kanpur, Phool’s plantable rakhis are in line with the brand’s sustainable approach to its business. Along with its focus on sustainability, the unique rakhis add a touch of personalisation and are made by niche artisans whom you may not have heard of to date. Made from 100% pure, indigenous cotton and embedded with seeds, each rakhi can be sown and grown in your garden after the celebrations — offering a long-standing reminder of the festival.
4. Plantables
A sustainable seed-paper stationery store based in Agra, Plantables has come up with eco-friendly seed-paper plantable rakhis, that have been handcrafted by their paper crafters. In line with the sustainability approach that many are actively taking up today, Plantables’ rakhis are among the best ways to honour the sibling relationship — in a plantable that is to be nurtured for years to come.
5. Rosarté Chocolaterie and Bakery
Delhi-based RosartéChocolaterie has partnered with bespoke hand-painting artist, Anhad Art, to offer hand-painted rakhis that stand out to add a touch of emotion to your rakhi gift this year. Each rakhi is unique since they are hand-painted from scratch, which means that you will be gifting your sibling a rakhi that is absolutely the only one of its kind in the world.
6. Tribe by Amrapali
From the house of an ace jeweller from Jaipur, Rajasthan, Tribe by Amrapali offers something a bit more permanent—rakhi that would last a lifetime. Tribe by Amrapali offers gold-plated and oxidised silver rakhis that work as minimal jewellery. The tribal Rajasthani jewellery specialists offer rakhis that last for years and are a perfect reminder of the special occasion for siblings.
7. The Wishing Chair
Delhi-based artisanal gifting platform, The Wishing Chair, has partnered with Fooljhadi to offer handcrafted, bespoke rakhis that you can get for your sibling this year. Not only are the rakhis made sustainably, but they are also built from scratch by hand by Fooljhadi’s artists. You get unique, childhood-themed rakhis, complete with a nostalgic note that’s unique to each type of rakhi available in their collection.
8. Gulmeher
Gulmeher, based in Delhi, is not just focused on sustainability, but promotes women waste-pickers by transforming their lives into virtuoso artisans. Each rakhi you get from Gulmeher contributes to the social development of underserved sections of our population, and that’s not the only thing. Each rakhi, made by Gulmeher, represents a festive theme, or even superheroes! Made from biodegradable or plantable material, these beautifully crafted rakhis are sensible, sensitive and swagger-filled in every single way.
9. Zariin
Continuing the flavour of bespoke sustainability and a focus on niche artists, young, homegrown jewellery brand Zariin has a wide range of handmade rakhis on offer. These rakhis feature a unique square knot on the bracelet that separates them from the rest and offers a long-standing ornament with 22-carat gold-dipped rakhi motifs. You also get uncut stones set into rakhis, such as a raw amethyst rakhi that is minimal, yet a resplendent symbol of your care.
10. House of Ekam
Made of 100% cotton and hand-stitched by women artists in Bhopal, the rakhis on offer by House of Ekam are unique and different from the typical designs that you would see everywhere. The motifs on the rakhis cover a wide range of pleasant, small nothings, and are yet significant in what they stand for. Being uniquely hand-stitched, each rakhi is a reminder of the perseverance of one of the most enduring relations in the world — that of siblings.