Usually found in dry, deciduous forests and margins of grasslands, this little berry was part of almost every Indian home till the time detergents became the norm in our homes. Our grandparents used it for almost all their cleaning activities, floors, bathrooms, dishes, clothes and especially silk.  Its wonderful properties are many, and today, the humble soap nut berry is an important part of our product development at Wild Ideas.

ETHICAL HARVEST

Our laundry wash powder, dish wash powder, dish wash bar, hair care powders, body wash powders all have the goodness of soap berries in them.  Hope you join us in using and celebrating one of nature’s greatest cleaners.

#Dish Wash Powder #Laundry Powder #Sparkle #Herbal Hair Care Powder 

As a rural livelihood project, our challenges have been unique. When we embarked on creating wonderful alternatives using natural ingredients and native knowledge, little did we know that we would be turning conventional wisdom of product labelling on its head.

For most people, a product label is all about how the world outside sees and perceives the brand. It is important for us too–we wanted our customers to perceive Wild Ideas as a world class brand. But for us, we had another challenge that was more pertinent and critical.

How do we get the women to identify the different products and paste the right label? Most of our women have never been formally educated.  Many haven’t seen a school.  This is where colours came in.   Each label was designed in a way that easily differentiated it for the women who were packing it and provided a clear  product identity.  When one of our women sees the pink lily she knows – “Ah ha! its our Dish wash powder.”  The “Fern” leaf representing the “I” of Wild takes on various colours depending on the product. The vibrant colours on our labels tell the story of the land with the hills and streams, flora and fauna, and so much more that is unique to Tiruvannamalai and the women of Wild Ideas! 

#Rural Livelihood Project #Tiruvanamalai #Women Power 

Palm–the state tree of Tamil Nadu–is perhaps the most underrated tree. An indigenous tree that like the Neem “just simply grows”. No demands. No asks. It is perfectly suited to this geography and has been part of our lives from days gone by. That it supports a range of livelihood is little known outside of Tamil Nadu, where it is called “celestial tree” as all its parts are useful, and not just for making some amazing handicraft items.  History books relate the use of palm in its varied forms in art, culture, ritual and every day life.

Newly germinated seeds form fleshy sprouts below the surface is highly nutritious just as the mature seed’s hardshell hides a crunchy kernel that tastes like a sweet water chestnut. In ancient times, dried palm leaves were used to write manuscripts.