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ABOUT US
Reviving Traditional Craftsmanship with Eco-Friendly Papier-Mâché Dolls
Owned by Ramani Yellapantula, ARTEFAKT (Papier-mâché artwork) #NagpurDolls is an initiative to rekindle the art of doll making. At Artefakt, we have created the brand Nagpur Dolls. These are entirely hand-made costumed dolls created using paper-mache, two major ingredients of which are recycled newspaper and naturally occurring plant-based gum. Artefakt has been a social enterprise so to say since 1987. The brand Kaagaz Kreations is just being developed and you all will be notified once we have more information to share about it.
WHY BUY?
Handcrafted Excellence, Empowering Women, Eco-Friendly, and Celebrating India's Rich Cultural Heritage
We take pride in showcasing various cultural traditions and otherwise from India through our dolls. So needless to say, our products make excellent pieces for your showcases but also valuable gifts or even to take as souvenirs from India. They are also used for educational purposes and as toys too. While we offer a wide variety of dolls for you to choose from, we also take customized orders.
Hand Crafted Excellence
Each doll is meticulously crafted by hand, ensuring exceptional quality and unique artistry.
Empowering Women
We support 15+ women from lower socio-economic backgrounds, providing sustainable livelihoods and personal growth.
Eco-friendly Materials
Our dolls are made from recycled newspaper and plant-based gum, promoting environmentally conscious practices.
Proud of Cultural Heritage
We preserve India's rich cultural heritage through diverse collections that bring cultural vibrancy into your home.
OUR STORY
When you buy from us, you are in your own small way contributing to making all this happen.
Today, Artefakt is a thriving team of 17 women coming from difficult socio-economic backgrounds. So everytime you buy a doll from us, you are majorly helping an unskilled woman build up self-esteem and support her family.
Ramani strives for all-round development of her workers, to create an enjoyable and productive atmosphere for them to work in. The team goes out on picnics, has potlucks, celebrates various Indian festivals, gets trained about different things like personal well-being, hygiene, enhancing one's confidence and such. Artefakt also gives out small loans to workers in times of their need, with 0 interest. She guides them to get their children educated well.
Background
To give expression to her love of doll-making, Bhaanukumari made dolls using cotton clothes, stitched and stuffed with fenugreek (methi) seeds. From that to using paper-mache as a medium to make dolls has been a long journey. While loving arts and creative expressions, Bhaanukumari has truly been a people’s person. She has been involved in many various activities that were altruistic in nature – donation drives, charity drives. Instead of treating herself as a one-person army, she always believed in the power of collective effort. She put in huge efforts to bring people together to contribute positively to various social causes.
One of her many endeavors was to regularly go to Matrusevasangh in Nagpur, a rehabilitation center for physically challenged people. Bhaanukumari and Ramani spent time with girls in the center and taught them some art work. In their efforts to further support these girls, Ramani started a workshop for 5-6 girls from the center.
EXHIBITIONS
Handcrafted Excellence, Empowering Women, Eco-Friendly, and Celebrating India's Rich Cultural Heritage
Artefakt has participated in many national and international exhibitions, craft melas and trade fairs, sponsored by government and non-government organizations. So far we have exhibited in the US, Canada, Australia, Dubai, Italy, Norway, many various cities in India. We have conducted many workshops for school children, women, physically challenged women, children of red light areas.
Lokmat Sakhi Samman Award
Kartutwan Mahila Award
Swayam Siddha Samman Award
Telugu Samskrutika Sangham
Each doll is meticulously crafted by hand, ensuring exceptional quality and unique artistry.
Hand Crafted Excellence
We support 15+ women from lower socio-economic backgrounds, providing sustainable livelihoods and personal growth.
Empowering Women in need.
Our dolls are made from recycled newspaper and plant-based gum, promoting environmentally conscious practices.
Eco-friendly Materials
We preserve India's rich cultural heritage through diverse collections that bring cultural vibrancy into your home.
Proud of Cultural Heritage
WHY BUY?
Handcrafted Excellence, Empowering Women, Eco-Friendly, and Celebrating India's Rich Cultural Heritage
We take pride in showcasing various cultural traditions and otherwise from India through our dolls. So needless to say, our products make excellent pieces for your showcases but also valuable gifts or even to take as souvenirs from India. They are also used for educational purposes and as toys too. While we offer a wide variety of dolls for you to choose from, we also take customized orders.
Lokmat Sakhi Samman Award
Kartutwan Mahila Award
Swayam Siddha Samman Award
Telugu Samskrutika Sangham
EXHIBITIONS
Handcrafted Excellence, Empowering Women, Eco-Friendly, and Celebrating India's Rich Cultural Heritage
Artefakt has participated in many national and international exhibitions, craft melas and trade fairs, sponsored by government and non-government organizations. So far we have exhibited in the US, Canada, Australia, Dubai, Italy, Norway, many various cities in India. We have conducted many workshops for school children, women, physically challenged women, children of red light areas.
HOW YOU HELP
Ramani’s craftsmanship and leadership has helped provide livelihoods to these families while developing an art form that’s so unique, actually the only kind in the entire world!
Today, Artefakt is a thriving team of 17 women coming from difficult socio-economic backgrounds. So everytime you buy a doll from us, you are majorly helping an unskilled woman build up self-esteem and support her family.
Ramani strives for all-round development of her workers, to create an enjoyable and productive atmosphere for them to work in. The team goes out on picnics, has potlucks, celebrates various Indian festivals, gets trained about different things like personal well-being, hygiene, enhancing one's confidence and such. Artefakt also gives out small loans to workers in times of their need, with 0 interest. She guides them to get their children educated well.
When you buy from us, you are in your own small way contributing to making all this happen. So, do remember to feel good about it!
Background
To give expression to her love of doll-making, Bhaanukumari made dolls using cotton clothes, stitched and stuffed with fenugreek (methi) seeds. From that to using paper-mache as a medium to make dolls has been a long journey. While loving arts and creative expressions, Bhaanukumari has truly been a people’s person. She has been involved in many various activities that were altruistic in nature – donation drives, charity drives. Instead of treating herself as a one-person army, she always believed in the power of collective effort. She put in huge efforts to bring people together to contribute positively to various social causes.
One of her many endeavors was to regularly go to Matrusevasangh in Nagpur, a rehabilitation center for physically challenged people. Bhaanukumari and Ramani spent time with girls in the center and taught them some art work. In their efforts to further support these girls, Ramani started a workshop for 5-6 girls from the center.