Why Indian Craftsmen are Getting Creative and Using Salvage to Make Gorgeous New Furniture

I stumbled across the term ‘Creative Salvage’ the other day whilst looking on the internet for a different way to describe some of our new furniture.

Creative Salvage is a movement that came out of London in the 1980’s pioneered by designers like Tom Dixon and Ron Arad, who made decorations and furniture from salvage for warehouse parties.

Like them, India’s furniture designers and makers are refining their designs and production methods in an ongoing response to nature, technology, and an economy that’s growing at more than 7% a year.

With the huge rise in construction and demolition everywhere in India, one result of this very fast growing economy, whenever a building is dismantled, the doors and windows – which have a much longer life than the building – are the first items to be salvaged.

In a culture where nothing goes to waste, India’s uber-creative makers take these salvaged doors and windows and turn them, along with other reclaimed wood and timber, into gorgeous new furniture that combines India’s colour, architectural history and culture, with the natural beauty and feel of solid wood.

On our last trip to Rajasthan we found lots of unique pieces that have been re-made in this way, like sideboards, cabinets, cupboards, and tables that include historic salvage alongside other reclaimed timbers or new wood parts.

The first of our shipments have arrived, and lots of these items are now available in our Hove store, and many are online.

I love these pieces, and I’d be happy to show them to you.

Russ Parker
Founder of Jugs Indian Furniture