With little investment but plenty of creativity, Anushka Kasar has grown her lockdown experiment into Anu Creations, a handmade jewellery brand built around customisation and reuse
VINIKA VISWAMBHARAN
A kitchen utensil holder might seem an unlikely tool for making jewellery, but for Anushka Kasar, it was where the journey began. With proper tools out of reach, she used it to twist jump rings and earring hooks as she taught herself the craft.
Five years on, the Panaji-based founder of Anu Creations runs her handmade jewellery business while also pursuing an MBA. But her interest in handmade art began much earlier, during her school days. “Since around Class 7 or 8, I’ve been experimenting with quilling paper earrings and other handmade products,” she says.
The beginning was modest. A mutual friend who made jewellery was discarding some leftover materials, which Kasar brought home and began experimenting with. She also collected discarded fabric from a tailor living near her house. With limited resources and almost no investment, she started making jewellery. “During the lockdown, I got the opportunity to explore this interest further,” she notes.
Her first fabric earrings began attracting attention in her locality. “Soon, people started approaching me with requests for customised pieces to match their outfits for occasions such as Raksha Bandhan and other celebrations,” says Kasar.
Since then, Kasar has expanded her range to include various kinds of fabric, oxidised and anti-tarnish jewellery, along with customised pieces based on customer requests and personal style. That willingness to experiment with materials remains central to her work. She says a customised piece can be completed in about two hours if the required raw materials are available. If the materials need to be sourced, however, the process can take at least a day.
One of Kasar’s favourite creations is a pair of earrings made from jute paper. “It was a completely different idea and one of the most unique creations I have made,” she explains.
Reuse is another important part of her creative process. “Discarded fabric is cleaned and prepared before being incorporated into jewellery, while other materials are also given a second life,” she explains. Anklets and evil-eye pieces are also among her products.
Beyond jewellery, Kasar has made paper bags from discarded wallpaper sample sheets. “Instead of throwing away sheets that had been used for display and demonstration, I found a way to turn them into something useful.”
Her customers include people looking for affordable pieces that are different from mass-produced designs.
Through self-help groups, she has participated in Lokutsav, SARAS exhibitions, college events, stalls and other exhibitions. “Being part of these events has enabled me to meet new people and understand what customers like,” she says.
One of her proudest moments came when she was selected and awarded as a Young Entrepreneur by the Chief Minister of Goa. “For someone who had started with almost no investment, the recognition was particularly meaningful,” she notes. She was also given an opportunity to speak at her college about entrepreneurship and share her experience with students. “Being recognised for something that I started from almost zero investment was a very special moment for me,” she says.
Yet, for Kasar, success is not only about earning money. She wants to continue experimenting. “It is about growing my creativity, making people happy through my products and building my brand into a bigger and more unique business,” she says..
Through all of this, she credits her family, particularly her father, for being a constant source of support. “Whenever I had a large order or an order due the next day, my father would stay up with me and help me make the jewellery,” she says. “His support and encouragement gave me the confidence to continue my journey.”
