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handwork

handwork

Any craft-based techniques or goods done by hand with or without the aid of tools. Final products possess a one-of-a-kind quality, the mark of work made manually rather than by machine. Skills are often associated with traditional artisan communities structured around an informal craft economy. Knowledge and skills are typically passed down through family members over generations.

Handwork has been an integral component of dosa since early on. We value manual work, and employ skilled artisans as our way of keeping traditional crafts alive. Using hand skills also offers wider exploration in our recycling efforts, allowing greater flexibility and creativity when designing with limited materials and enabling artisans to impart their individual expression. Any associated increases in time and labor costs we view as positives: more time, more job creation, less consumption of natural resources. In India, a single handloom creates 10 jobs that rely solely on human-generated power. See also khadi; WomenWeave

hibiscus

hibiscus

Flowering plant in the mallow family (Malvaceae) that is used as a natural dye ingredient for the Adiv Temple Blessings project in India. We dye with red hibiscus flowers known as Red Jaswanti in Hindi, the favorite of Lord Ganesha. Red hibiscus normally achieves shades from brownish red to purplish red. When used with alum mordant, its color modifies to green. Fresh blossoms yield a brighter citron shade, dried hibiscus produces a green that is darker and more subdued. See also Adiv Temple Blessings project