Homemaker creates garments, handicrafts from tannery waste

Chennai: Manifesting innovation in the handicraft sector, a homemaker from the city created garments and apparel from waste generated in the tannery industry. Indira Pammi who turned entrepreneur two years ago, is the mastermind behind the creations of recycled leather and cotton. Having established a stall in the Chennai Trade Centre in the leather expo, Indira told DC, “Unlike other synthetic materials, leather is lively as it breathes through pores. This is the reason for leather being sought for shoes and other apparels. I collected waste from tanneries and discussed how to make attractive handicrafts with a few artisans.”

“Among our handicraft products, Tanjore painting, Kutch work, Kashmiri embroidery, Jaipur mirror work and appliqué work are a few,” Indira said. She is now a working partner of the leather-manufacturing firm, Truekem, owned by her husband, Pammi Sudhakar since two decades. Indira has succeeded in reducing chemical use and workers’ hazard, besides setting up a plant to treat chemical waste. “This art can be taken to international platforms if weavers are funded. Though we haven’t launched the handicraft collections, a few enquiries have come already,” said Indira.