About Scrapshala & Our Products
What is Scrapshala?
Scrapshala is a women-led, India-based premium handcrafted lifestyle brand that transforms pre-consumer and post-consumer materials into thoughtfully designed products. We combine upcycling with Indian craftsmanship to create products that are beautiful, functional, useful, and made to last.
Is Scrapshala an Indian brand?
Yes. Scrapshala is proudly Indian. We are headquartered in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, and work closely with skilled Indian artisans and craft communities. Our journey began in 2016 from a small balcony in Banaras, with a simple idea: bring together waste, creativity, design, and traditional craftsmanship to create products people would genuinely love to use.
Where are Scrapshala products made?
Our products are made in India, primarily through our artisan network and production ecosystem in and around Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. We also collaborate with artisans and makers from other parts of India when they bring specialised craftsmanship or expertise in upcycling that complements our work.
What does upcycling mean?
Upcycling means giving an existing material a new and useful life instead of treating it as waste. At Scrapshala, we rethink materials that already exist and transform them into products that are functional, beautiful, and relevant to everyday life. The idea is simple: make better use of what we already have before creating something new.
What materials do you use at Scrapshala?
We work with a wide range of pre-consumer and post-consumer materials, depending on the product. These include single-use plastics and MLPs, newspaper and other paper-based materials, electronic waste such as keyboards and wires, reclaimed natural wood such as pine, mango, teak and eucalyptus, metal waste including automobile and other small metal parts, flower waste, coconut shells, pre-consumer textile waste, and glass bottles. Many of these materials are sourced before they become waste, while post-consumer materials are carefully cleaned and prepared before being transformed into products.
Are your products handmade?
Yes. Our products are made through a combination of thoughtful design, material transformation and human craftsmanship. Depending on the product, different artisans and skilled makers may be involved in processes such as cutting, stitching, painting, weaving, assembling, finishing and material preparation.
Why do Scrapshala products cost more than some mass-produced products?
Our products are not designed to compete with mass-produced commercial goods on price. Each Scrapshala product involves material recovery, preparation, design and human craftsmanship. We believe the value of a product also lies in how it is made, who makes it, what material it saves from becoming waste, and how long you can continue using it.
Are Scrapshala products completely identical?
Not always, and that is part of what makes handcrafted products special. Slight variations in colour, texture, grain, finish or form may occur because we work with natural, reclaimed and upcycled materials and because our products involve human craftsmanship. These small differences are not defects; they are part of the character of the product.
Are Scrapshala products durable?
We design our products to be functional and long-lasting. However, durability also depends on the material, product category and how the product is used and maintained. Wherever possible, we provide product-specific care instructions to help you get the most out of your purchase.
Shopping at Scrapshala
Where can I buy Scrapshala products?
You can shop directly through our website or visit our retail and experiential store in Varanasi. Selected Scrapshala products may also be available through other marketplaces and partner platforms.
Can I visit the Scrapshala store?
Yes. Our Varanasi retail and experiential store is open for shopping from Monday to Saturday, 11 AM to 7 PM. If you would like to visit outside these hours, please contact us in advance and take an appointment.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept the payment methods available at checkout, including online payments and Cash on Delivery for eligible and serviceable PIN codes. International credit cards have recently faced an issue on our payment gateway, and we are working with our payment partner to resolve it. If you are unable to complete an international payment online, please reach out to us and we will help you place the order.
Do you offer Cash on Delivery?
Yes. COD is available for eligible and serviceable PIN codes and will appear as an option at checkout wherever available. For some COD orders, we may request a small advance payment to confirm the order. This helps us reduce unconfirmed and returned COD shipments while allowing us to continue offering COD without adding a separate COD charge.
How do I know if my order has been placed successfully?
Once your order is successfully placed, you will receive an order confirmation on your registered email address. If you do not receive a confirmation or face any issue while placing your order, please reach out to us and we will be happy to help.
When will my order be shipped?
Ready-to-ship orders are generally dispatched within 1–3 business days. Products that require additional preparation, are temporarily out of stock, or are made specifically for an order may take longer. We will communicate any significant delay wherever possible.
How can I track my order?
Once your order is dispatched, tracking details are shared with you through the contact information provided at the time of ordering. You can use the tracking details to follow the shipment with the respective logistics partner.
Customisation, Bulk & Corporate Orders
Can I customise a Scrapshala product?
Yes. We offer customisation for selected products, particularly for corporate gifting, bulk orders, festive requirements and special projects. Depending on the product, customisation may include colours, branding, packaging, illustrations, quantities or development of an entirely new product. Feasibility, minimum quantities, pricing and timelines depend on the requirement.
Do you accept bulk orders?
Yes. We work on corporate gifting, wedding gifting, event giveaways, employee gifting, festive gifting and other bulk requirements. Since our products are handcrafted, bulk orders require advance planning. We recommend getting in touch 30–45 days in advance, especially during the festive season.
Do you offer discounts on bulk orders?
Bulk and corporate orders may qualify for preferential pricing depending on quantity, product selection and level of customisation. Since our products involve human craftsmanship and material preparation, our pricing may not always match mass-produced commercial products.
Do you provide samples for corporate orders?
Yes, but sampling is not always free of cost. For products available on our website, you can purchase a sample and request a return within one week, subject to the applicable return conditions. Returns beyond this period will not be accepted. Custom samples developed specifically for a corporate requirement are chargeable. If the final bulk order is successfully placed, we may absorb a portion of the sampling cost, depending on the project.
Can Scrapshala create a completely new product for our organisation?
Yes, where feasible. We can explore custom product development using suitable materials, design requirements and quantities. Custom development takes time because the product needs to be designed, prototyped, tested and refined before production.
Do you work with commercial or conventional materials for bulk orders?
Our focus is on sustainable, handcrafted and thoughtfully designed products. If sustainability is an important part of your requirement, we would love to hear from you. We may not be the right fit for requirements that are primarily looking for conventional commercial or mass-produced products at the lowest possible price.
How much time should I keep for a bulk order?
Handcrafting takes time and is dependent on people, material availability and the complexity of the product. We recommend planning bulk requirements 30–45 days in advance, with additional time during festive seasons. The earlier you share your requirement, the better we can plan production and delivery.
International Orders
Do you ship internationally?
Yes, we ship Scrapshala products internationally. We have shipped our products to customers in different countries around the world.
Why can't I see international shipping charges on the website?
Our website currently does not calculate international shipping rates for every destination. International shipping charges vary significantly depending on the destination PIN/ZIP code, product weight, volumetric weight, package dimensions and the logistics rates applicable when the order is placed.
How can I place an international order if shipping is not calculated at checkout?
You can browse and select the products you would like to purchase and then contact us by email or WhatsApp. Share your destination PIN/ZIP code and selected products with us. We will calculate the applicable shipping cost based on the actual or volumetric weight, whichever is higher, along with the current logistics rates and estimated transit time. Once the shipping charges are confirmed, we can proceed with processing and dispatching your order.
Can international orders be customised or placed in bulk?
Yes. We can explore customised and bulk international orders depending on the product, quantity, destination and logistics requirements. Please contact us in advance so that we can assess feasibility and timelines.
Will I have to pay customs or import duties?
International customers are responsible for checking and complying with the customs, import and other applicable regulations of their destination country. Any customs duties, taxes or import-related charges imposed by the destination country are generally the responsibility of the customer.
Returns, Exchanges & Product Care
Can I return or exchange a Scrapshala product?
Returns and exchanges are subject to our applicable return and exchange policy and may vary depending on the product category. We recommend checking the policy before placing your order, particularly for customised, personalised or specially made products.
What if my product arrives damaged?
Please contact us as soon as possible with your order details and clear photographs or videos of the package and product. This helps us understand what happened during transit and determine the appropriate resolution.
Why might my upcycled product look slightly different from the picture?
Upcycled and handcrafted products often have natural variations in colour, texture, grain, pattern and finish. Since we work with materials that have had a previous life and are transformed by hand, no two pieces may be exactly alike. We see these variations as part of the story and character of the product.
Working With Scrapshala
Can I collaborate with Scrapshala as an artisan?
Yes. We are open to collaborations with skilled artisans and makers from across India, especially those with expertise in traditional crafts, material innovation or upcycling. If you have a craft or material-based skill that you believe could complement our work, we would be happy to hear from you.
Does Scrapshala work with young people, interns and volunteers?
Yes. Young people have been an important part of Scrapshala's journey since the beginning. Over the years, numerous interns and volunteers have contributed their time, ideas, creativity and energy to our work. As a bootstrapped organisation, their support has helped us experiment, learn and build a community around sustainability and conscious living.
Can I volunteer or intern with Scrapshala?
We periodically welcome interns and volunteers across areas such as design, sustainability, content, marketing, research, events and other relevant projects. Opportunities depend on our current requirements and available projects.
Workshops, CSR & Partnerships
Does Scrapshala conduct workshops?
Yes. We conduct hands-on sustainability and craft-based workshops for schools, colleges, corporates, communities and events. Depending on the requirement, workshops can include activities around upcycling, natural materials, paper, textiles, waste transformation, crafts and sustainable living.
Does Scrapshala undertake CSR projects?
Yes. CSR initiatives are undertaken through Scrapshala India Social Foundation, our Varanasi-based organisation set up to undertake social-impact and CSR projects. Our work can include IEC and awareness activities, artisan welfare, artisan training, teacher training, employee engagement activities and other sustainability and community-focused initiatives.
Can companies collaborate with Scrapshala for employee engagement or sustainability activities?
Yes. We work with organisations on sustainability workshops, employee engagement, upcycling activities, artisan interactions, gifting, awareness programmes and customised CSR initiatives, depending on the objectives and scale of the project.
Our Community
What kind of work culture does Scrapshala promote?
We believe good ideas come from diverse people working together with mutual respect. We welcome people from different religions, identities and backgrounds. We actively encourage strong participation of women across our artisan network and office team, and we are LGBTQ+ friendly and pet friendly. We do not believe in discrimination based on caste or background. For us, a healthy workplace is one where people feel respected, included and valued.
What is Scrapshala trying to achieve?
We want to make sustainable and thoughtfully designed products accessible to more people while creating dignified livelihood opportunities for artisans and encouraging more mindful consumption. For us, sustainability is not only about the material used to make a product; it is also about creating something people genuinely value, use and keep for a long time.
A Note From Us
Why should I choose Scrapshala?
Because we believe sustainability should not mean compromising on design, functionality or joy. We bring together reimagined materials, Indian craftsmanship and thoughtful design to create products that fit naturally into everyday life. When you choose Scrapshala, you are not simply buying a product. You are supporting a more thoughtful way of making, using and valuing things.
Crafted in India. Designed with purpose. Made to last.