Brand Focus – Rustic Art

I am back with the second post in the Brand Focus series, where I attempt to introduce to my readers not just the products, but the story of a brand. My journey of over two years has introduced me to many brands and products that are now a part of my lifestyle. One such brand was Rustic Art.

Rustic Art has been around for 3 years and slowly and steadily, they are being known for the awesome products they make. Rustic Art does not need an introduction on my blog. I have written exhaustively about them and their wonderful products over the past two years.  Right from the soaps, shampoo, massage oils, body washes and more, I have used their products ever since I moved to the ways of green living and have stuck to them.

Rustic Art has been founded by Sunita Jaju and Swati Maheshwari, both who are nature lovers and strong advocators of sustainable living. Here I am, in conversation with the absolutely charming Swati Maheshwari, the co-founder of Rustic Art.

What was the thought behind Rustic Art? What made you start the brand?

At home, we always used the natural alternatives to everyday-use products such as soaps, shampoo, laundry wash, etc. We realized that while we were willing to go an extra mile to make these products at home or procure them after putting in some effort, others did not have the time or inclination to go out of their way to live a natural lifestyle. However, they were more than willing to buy these products off the shelf if available. Hence, we realized that there is a gap that we can fill. That’s how it all started started!

Do you have a flagship store? Do you also have an international presence? 

We do not have a standalone store. We are only retailing through various existing stores and online sellers. Yes, we do have presence in Sweden and that’s through an NGO network.

Why do you think people are now more inclined towards natural remedies? How does Rustic Art fit in the lives of such people?

” The Indian culture is organic and eco-friendly in its original form. We had been living a completely organic lifestyle for centuries and centuries since everything was sourced from nature be it food or personal care products. “

However, post the British rule, the situation became different and the Western culture influenced our lifestyle to a great extent. That is when use of synthetic products became rampant. Today, there are certain organizations and people who are trying to create awareness and take us back to the roots, but the number is very small. It is ironic that India needs to re-learn its own philosophy and culture.

Through Rustic Art, we have tried to promote the following:

1. Make an informed choice. Go for homemade alternatives if you can, especially for children. If not, then buy products that use no or minimal artificial substance.
2. Even when you buy organic products, learn how to use them. They are supposed to be used minimally – less is sufficient and that way organic products last longer than the rest.

How complete is your ingredient list? Is everything that you used listed on your products?

Absolutely. The objective of Rustic Art was never to make money. The objective was to share the goodness of nature! Our raw materials are sourced from organic farms in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. So we are doing that and Rustic Art is a very honest effort. We are promoting ‘sustainable living’ through Rustic Art and we are happy to just about sustain while doing so. Hence, we have nothing to hide. 

Each product of Rustic Art goes a long way because of the quantity you require. Does this not make you lose out on business? If you had smaller containers, people would buy more! 

Smaller containers would mean more packaging material! We are trying to keep our packaging minimal so that we do not over utilize resources.  That’s why we use only recyclable plastic, handmade paper, cotton cloth, etc.

A lot of times, eco-conscious customers have written to us with the suggestion that they would bring their containers to our warehouse and fill with shampoo, etc because they do not want to waste the 200 ml bottle each time they buy it from us! We cannot let them do this because of logistical issues (we are based in a remote town of Satara, Maharashtra). 

Once an eco-conscious customer even told us bluntly that it’s no use using ‘recyclable plastic’ because nobody cares enough to recycle it. Something that bothers us too. These are the kind of people we want to cater to – those who share the same eco-sensibility as ours. And this is why we don’t feel the need to go out there with a grand marketing campaign – our customers find us on their own!

What are the new additions that we will see at Rustic Art? I know I have a long list of products that I would love to see with you – body oils, scrubs, body butters, the list is pretty endless 🙂

We are working on many exciting products at the moment. You will see some amazing skin care products being launched very soon. We are also planning to launch some more products in the home care range that should delight you too! But it’s a slow process so you will have to wait and watch!

And Swati doesn’t tell me about the new products they are working on! It’s going to be an excruciating wait, but I am sure it will be worth the while! I am waiting absolutely patiently for the new range of products.

That was the story of Rustic Art. Did you like it?

 

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*Most of the brands and products reviewed are what I have tried and tested and truly recommend! If it is a sponsored post, it is indicated. All Photographs are (C) Pratibha unless stated otherwise.*