The Story Behind our Terracotta Vases
Our terracotta vases aren’t just part of a collection. They’re part of where I come from.
I grew up in Mumbai, a city that moves quickly but holds its traditions close. The terracotta vase was part of everyday life. You’d find them on kitchen shelves, on balconies, outside temples. It wasn’t something you styled, it was just there. Simple. Useful. Honest. That quiet, enduring presence stayed with me.
When I started building this brand, I wanted to bring that same feeling into the homes we create for. Not just the aesthetic of a terracotta vase, but its story and its roots.
Our terracotta vases are made by a family of artisans in Dharavi, one of Mumbai’s most misunderstood yet vital neighbourhoods. Often known only through headlines, Dharavi is in fact a thriving hub of small-scale industry. It is home to highly skilled craftspeople, potters, metalworkers, tanners and makers, who power an entire micro-economy from within its narrow lanes.
The family we work with has been making pottery for generations. Their home doubles as their workshop. The father hand-throws each terracotta vase using traditional techniques passed down over decades. The mother manages their small shopfront. They produce with care and precision, focusing on craftsmanship rather than scale.
We work with them directly and always pay a fair and honest price for every piece. This is not outsourced labour. This is skilled artisanal work, and we are proud to support it with integrity. Each terracotta vase you bring into your home supports this family and contributes to the survival of an important craft in a rapidly mechanised world.
No two terracotta vases are exactly the same. Some bear the marks of the kiln, a faint fingerprint, a slightly uneven neck. We keep those features in. They’re part of the story. Part of what makes each piece unique.
For me, these vases are about connection. Connection between here and home, between tradition and modern living, between you and the hands that shaped the clay.
I hope you see the beauty in each terracotta vase as I do. Not just in how it looks, but in everything it represents. Explore our terracotta pieces here.
Thank you for reading and for being part of this journey.
- Nancy, founder TSL Co.
