An IT professional turned upcycling artist in Kerala is teaching India to rethink waste
Amal S Pillai, an IT professional from Kerala, has turned his passion for upcycling into a successful initiative called Amsham Handmade. Founded in 2015, the project focuses on creating sustainable products from old fabrics and materials while also conducting workshops across India. Amal aims to expand his brand and create a dedicated space for teaching sustainable practices in the future.
- ▪Amal S Pillai started his journey into art and craft after a college injury led him to explore handicrafts.
- ▪His initiative, Amsham Handmade, focuses on upcycling and has grown to include workshops and donation drives.
- ▪Amal has trained over 150 participants in bundle-dye workshops across the country in 2026 alone.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Kollam native Amal S Pillai describes his entry into art and craft as accidental. At 31, he recalls being sidelined by a fracture to his left arm during college — an interruption that led him to handicrafts. Short on money, he improvised, swapping satin ribbons for scrap cloth from tailors and using rolled newspapers as twine.That resourcefulness laid the foundation for Amsham Handmade, founded in 2015, his sustainable creative initiative based in Kochi and Chennai. Over the past decade, it has grown into a practice centred on upcycling, restoring old fabrics, bottles and cable wires, while also hosting workshops and donation drives. Amal S Pillai during a workshop | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT “I’ve been making upcycled bags and products since 2015.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Hindu.
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