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Taking inspiration and materials from nature, the Indian lighting decor brand Oorjaa explores lighting. It reflects a profound appreciation for materials, craftsmanship, and sustainable living—from practice to product. With Oorjaa’s light designs, each meticulously crafted piece speaks to a commitment to illuminating not just spaces but also improving the environment and individual lives as well. From using materials like banana fibre paper,  upcycled cork, and quarry waste to experimenting with form, their collections celebrate the essence of materials that are combined to create captivating textures, colours, forms, and light.

As a pioneering artisanal paper studio, Oorjaa’s two-decade journey has been fueled by a fascination with materials and an unwavering commitment to crafting environments that radiate from within. Every Oorjaa lamp, born from a desire to work with hands, embodies time, patience, creativity, and a passion for the environment. 

Materials and Craft

Each of their collections showcases diverse natural materials, such as banana fibre mesh, bark paper, rope, water hyacinth fibre, hand-woven paper, and crushed lokta, another plant variety, fibre paper. In addition, there is a creative exploration of faux concrete, feather cement, pine, and teak wood varieties with veneer, bent ply, brass mesh, rubberized cork, and light-mixed cork. 

Take for instance ‘Elements and Lantana’ series which is an example of using storytelling, craft traditions and diverse materials to give their objects compelling stories and exquisite detailing. Mainly made from handmade paper, the Elements collection embodies free-spirited design. Inspired by forests and rhythmic sea waves, it captures the beauty of nature in organic shapes and fluid motifs.

Meanwhile, the ‘Lantana’ collection is crafted from the invasive Lantana camara which is a flowering plant species. Using an intricate loom lore process, Oorjaa weaves artisanal panels, each creation tells a unique story. Lantana’s pieces transcend functional art. One of the pieces in this collection titled ‘Seed Pod’ reflects the natural cycles of a plant from birth to death, while ‘Like A River Flow’ bends design rules with an unconventional bench. Through these creations, Oorjaa transforms an invasive weed into stunning sculptures, illustrating the potential for environmental responsibility in design and emphasising the interconnectedness of all things in the natural world.

The electrical enclosure in their lamps is concealed within a fabric-encased wire for a seamless aesthetic. Exquisite materials like handmade raw silk fabric and wood are thoughtfully incorporated to give new life to discarded items. The finishes are equally captivating, ranging from gold, copper, and silver leaf embossing to sleek copper, tribal print embossing, Aztec print, and a sophisticated blend of black, teak, and water hyacinth fibre weave.

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Their collection ‘Dori’ is a journey through the intricate world of textile methods. Embracing the Japanese ethos of ‘mottainai’—focused on minimising waste—and drawing from the artistry of ‘shibori,’ Dori crafts hues by intricately weaving leftover paper scraps on handlooms or employing clamp and tie-dye techniques. The resulting patterns, including small checks, geometric cityscapes, star patterns, and crushed lokta fibre paper echo the essence of ‘mottainai’ and showcase Dori’s commitment to sustainable creativity.

Adaptability

Oorjaa’s lighting decor effortlessly caters to residential, commercial, and hospitality settings, showcasing the seamless coexistence of sustainability and contemporary design. Versatile and adaptable, the collection effortlessly transitions across these spaces, offering floor, table, and hanging lighting fixtures, as well as stunning wall installations. Boasting diverse lighting types, from wall brick lamps to hanging cube lamps, each piece is meticulously crafted to embody a unique blend of form and function. 

The ‘Wabi Sabi’ collection for instance embraces the allure of aged imperfections in our faux concrete. Ingeniously crafted from discarded waste, here are lamps, crafted from faux concrete that is sourced from quarry waste. These elements come together to craft enchanting light hoods in the Fibre Fables collection. Another example of adapting materials for sustainable design is the series titled, ‘Uncork.’ Derived from tree bark that renews every nine years, this series epitomises modern design forms and sheds light on a sustainable material typically relegated to industrial applications—the rubberized cork.

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Meanwhile ‘Shadow Play,’ inspired by South Indian and Indonesian shadow puppetry traditions, presents a captivating interplay of light, shadow, and intricate cutwork on lokta and banana fibre paper. Laser-cut embellishments depict lotuses, parrots, and elephants, creating a unique ambiance that invites artistic storytelling through the enchanting play of light and shadow. Each series is a great addition to any space–whether it’s a residential or commercial––it brings in charm.

Choosing an Oorjaa piece means taking a step towards a home that contributes to making our planet a better place. It empowers the patron to embrace sustainability while enhancing your spaces, whether formal or informal. It also provides creative finishes such as hyacinth water weave, banana weave, cascading weave (evoking water flowing down from a mountain), water hyacinth weave arch (resembling a boulder), confetti-like detailed sprinkling, tight weave, and set pattern design, adding a unique and artistic touch to each piece.

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