Chennai-based Darshitam began as a small effort to offer people eco-friendly, beautiful home essentials and utilities. Curating and sourcing the highest quality bed linens, towels, and clothing from across India, Sarenya Dhevi’s Darshitam aims to gently nudge people towards a sustainable future rooted in heritage.
A four-person team handles everything at Darshitam since they started the brand in October 2024: Sarenya, her husband, a social media manager, and, most recently, Sarenya’s friend, who helps with R&D, expansion, and collaborations. “When we began, all we knew was that we wanted to offer people something that was useful and would enrich their lives through making a conscious choice. Our research only reiterated what we already knew—the world is overly reliant on plastic. If you look at our cultural roots, we’ve always used cotton and natural fibres, whether for babies or elders. That is very much rooted in Indian culture, and that’s what we wanted to focus on,” Sarenya details.
Through their research, they came across some harrowing points of how synthetic materials affect your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Affordability pushes people to purchase plastic products, but those plastic containers in our kitchens have been proven to affect women’s hormones, causing health issues. Another eye-opening, insightful fact they found was that fabrics carry distinct frequencies—natural fibres like cotton and linen positively impact the body, while synthetic ones have a frequency akin to that of a dead person. Sarenya decided then that she wanted to introduce more people to a clean lifestyle by offering a solution to an existing, rampant problem.
Darshitam’s healthy, preservative-free, maida-free, sugar-free snacks
“A lot of people are either unaware of the problems that synthetic fibres pose to their health, or choose to remain blissfully ignorant. We resolved to take the initiative. We began with just 3-4 products, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. People welcomed us with open minds when we explained the reasoning, the craftsmanship, and the thought behind our products. We also had to justify the price to them, which is usual for any business, I suppose,” she chuckles. “Our cotton tote bags, for example, are made with hand block-printed fabrics, which are then quilted. All are products are maintenance-free, which essentially means you can put them in your washing machine with no risk of fading. They are sustainable and eco-friendly!”
Sustainability, Sarenya stresses, is not simply recycling or upcycling; it also means longevity. When you buy a cheap bag, it might last you 3-6 months, but when you buy a good quality bag for a slightly higher price, you can use it for 2-3 years or more. It helps both you and the environment. When it comes to choosing what products to launch, she tells us that it’s all according to people’s responses.
“We do a lot of pop-ups, and in the beginning, we only had table linens like runners and table covers. At these events, we had people asking us to bring in bedspreads, towels, and more functional things that they use daily. I was reluctant at first, since I had little knowledge about textiles, but since we had gotten so many requests, I gave it a shot. That’s how we expanded from four products to over 30 now! Customers ask us to introduce new products because they trust our quality.”
In terms of the evolving market scene, Sarenya explains that there is much more awareness in people now about what they use and what they wear. Bringing in new products depends on the customers themselves; things that people tend to use frequently. It is a brand built on trust, which goes both ways.
“When people pick something up from Darshitam, they can be assured of two things: quality and thoughtfulness. There is a lot of care that goes into each product that we offer, from the fabric to the design to the craftsmanship. We make conscious decisions surrounding our products, and that’s what helps us stand out. I would like to call Darshitam ‘affordable luxury’. As for the products themselves, we identify artisans through travel and research and get samples made. I personally use the products for a few months, and only if I’m fully satisfied with it, we launch it.” Darshitam brings out new products through participating in events around the city.
Doing pop-ups is not easy, what with lugging around multiple heavy duffel bags full of products to the venues, but it is very satisfying, Sarenya emphasises. “When customers tell us how much they love our quality, it cements our belief in the brand further. Recently, at an event, I was explaining to a customer about the quality, and she said, ‘Your product speaks for itself, I can see it. You don’t have to explain!’ That really made our day,” she smiles proudly.
A big milestone for the brand came recently, when a repeat customer ordered 500 customised hand block-printed towels as return gifts. For the brand’s products, Sarenya does a mix of custom and already available prints from the artisans. Their bags and pouches are exclusively designed for Darshitam, while some of the linens are chosen from the artisan’s catalogues.
Darshitam aspires to cater to a variety of target audiences—from a housewife to a working woman to a child. In the initial days, Sarenya says, they were a bit lost in terms of direction. “We didn’t recognise the value we had in our products until our customers assured us. They were the ones who pushed us to do more pop-ups and take that step to go into the world, so to speak. We owe much of our success to our lovely customers; our product categories, our marketing, and so much more,” she beams.
Premium Quilted hand block printed tote bag
Establishing a sustainable brand comes from a place of personal choice and passion for Sarenya. “When I choose something for myself or my house, whether clothing or homeware, I always look for something 100% natural. I don’t look for a big, full wardrobe; I’m happy even if I have fewer than 10 pieces, as long as they last me years. I still wear the clothes that I wore in college; I’m lucky they fit me,” she laughs. “I also take extra care of my items; I have been using some pouches and bags for over 15 years now, and they’re perfectly fine. I always prefer quality over quantity. My husband and I take bags with us wherever we go. We also carry our own bottles and cutlery so we can reuse them without having to take the disposable ones from restaurants. We just take small steps wherever we can,” she smiles.
Part of their revenue goes towards Isha Foundation’s Cauvery Calling; they have planted over 100 trees so far. They also consciously support local artisans, instead of wholesalers and retailers who sell as middlemen. “What local artisans create is not flawless, which is exactly where the charm lies. The imperfections are what make handmade pieces unique and special. They may not fit society’s perception of ‘perfect’, but that’s what is so beautiful to my eyes. We select these pieces to support local artisans directly, empowering them and giving them a platform to be seen. A lot of arts and crafts in India have lost their relevance, which is unfortunate, so I want to do my part in promoting the skills that these artisans possess and sustaining the art. It’s something to be proud of, not shunned,” she concludes.
Sarenya is motivated to keep going owing to her customers’ feedback and appreciation. The time and effort put towards Darshitam as a brand is a lot, and of course, tiring, she admits, but worth every second. She ended the interview on a warm note, hoping that there would be continued support for brands like Darshitam that bring about small changes in people’s lives and society.
Darshitam now also offers pure cow ghee and cold-pressed oils sourced directly from farmers, along with healthy snacks made with traditional rice and millets, all made by women using wood-pressed oil and jaggery. None of the brand’s products contain palm oil, maida, white sugar, food colours, or preservatives. Everything is made fresh on order!
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