Our Values
Senyü’s mission is to celebrate the rich craft heritage of North East India by forming ethical and equitable partnerships with crafts people themselves. We stand for mutual exchange of culture and creativity, respecting the richness of tradition, and sharing stories with deep authenticity. Each of our products represents the delicate culmination of contemporary style and ancient traditions, created by highly skilled crafts people using practices handed down through generations…
Celebrating the Craft Heritage of Northeast India
From fine Assamese silk weaving, intricate handloom textile crafts in Nagaland and Mizoram, to Manipuri wood-fired black pottery and bamboo basket making in Arunachal, rich craft traditions are embedded in the cultural heritage of Northeast India. Yet, these crafts are under threat from globalisation. Senyü stands for sustaining these crucial craft practices and commits to sharing their beauty with respect and authenticity, whilst upholding transparency, fair trade and forming genuine partnerships. Senyü celebrates sustainable practices, aiming to securing a vibrant future for Northeast India’s diverse cultural heritage.
Connecting cultures and creating stories
Beyond aesthetics our products carry a deeper significance, they resonate with pride and purpose. By sharing in the story behind each creation, customers become part of global narratives and forging new cultural connections. Whether it’s a handwoven cushion cover sparking conversation or a pottery piece adorning a living room, every purchase extends the story, linking lives across continents. Through our website we aim to provide feedback loops, not just for British customers’ preferences, but also for the weavers in remote villages, allowing them to witness the impact of their craft firsthand. These principles intertwine, creating meaningful exchanges that transcend geographic divisions.
Promoting Environmental Sustainability
Environmental sustainability is paramount throughout our principles. Traditionally crafted products tend to have extremely low environmental impact by their very nature. For instance, Manipuri black pottery, akin to Japanese ‘Raku’, is fired in a non-vitrifying manner, making it biodegradable. Materials like organic cotton, Peace Silk, and bamboo are inherently low-impact and biodegradable, aligning with our environmentally sustainable ethos. While there are necessary compromises, such as with packaging, we ensure to only use paper and bio-plastics that perform excellently and can be reused until the end of their lifespan, when they can be bio-digested.
Building Personal Relationships
Senyü actively works to foster connections across the entire value chain based on respect and equity, from the skilled craftspeople creating our products to our customers who cherish them. It is important to us that we personally meet those who we source our products from and ensure we re-tell their stories with integrity and authenticity.
Fair & Dignified Pay
One of Senyü’s most crucial principles is to ensure fair and dignified pay for craftspeople. This entails paying a respectable sum that reflects the hard work they invest, ensuring sustainability for their crafts and enabling them to thrive beyond mere subsistence. We do not rely on wholesalers and middle-men and prefer to source directly from craft makers, collectives and cooperatives.
High quality
Our luxury products are crafted with meticulous attention to detail, epitomising exceptional quality and durability, and sourced ethically and sustainably. Our products reflect the commitment of skilled craftspeople to their craft and to transparency and fairness. While their price point reflects the value of the craftsmanship, it also serves as a testament to their authenticity.
Supply Chain Transparency
Ensuring accountability by providing visibility into the origins and production processes of our products. We acknowledge existing flaws within the supply chain, such as air transport, and aspire to adopt more sustainable practices as Senyü grows, prioritizing sea transport to reduce our carbon footprint, enhance profitability and long-term environmental sustainability.