about us
THE VISIONARY
Arati Hiremath
Arati Hiremath founded Kasuti Heritage in 1990, reinventing a languishing folk craft by applying intricate embroidery onto modern lifestyle products and home decor.
For over 30 years, her mission has been rural women empowerment. She
has personally overseen the training of over 2,000 women and currently
employs 300, providing a sustainable livelihood for artisans in the North
Karnataka region.
In recognition of her dedication to the upliftment of rural women, she was honored with the prestigious award from Sri Sathya Sai University of Human Excellence in 2023.
The brand story
The story of ARTIKRAFTS began 36 years ago with a vision to breathe new life into a languishing traditional craft. Founded by Arati Hiremath alongside just two dedicated artisans, Shantavva and Leelakka, the humble initiative set out to revive the timeless beauty of Kasuti embroidery. Through relentless passion and skill-building, that small team grew over the next decade into a thriving community of 200 empowered women artisans. By thoughtfully reinventing traditional motifs to suit modern sensibilities and introducing innovative new products, ARTIKRAFTS established itself as a pioneer in blending contemporary design with age-old Indian craftsmanship—keeping heritage alive while creating sustainable futures.
A Livelihood in Every Loop
“The word ‘KASUTI’ is a fusion of two Kannada words: ‘KAI’ meaning
hand and ‘SUTI’ meaning cotton thread.”
Traditional Indian motifs—birds, animals, temple chariots, and ‘gopuras’—are
meticulously hand-stitched into the fabric without the use of tracing or drawing,
relying purely on the artisan’s mental map of the geometric grid.
THE TECHNIQUE
The Four Stitches
Gavanthi
The double running stitch. A rhythmic vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line that forms the structural skeleton of every motif.
Murgi
The zigzag stitch. Mirroring the fluid patterns of nature and the rhythmic steps of temple architecture.
Negi
The darning stitch. Used for filling large surfaces, creating a rich, woven tapestry appearance of solid color.
Menthi
The cross-stitch. Named after fenugreek seeds, adding granular texture and intricate, seed-like details.
SLOW FASHION
Handcrafted Over Months, Cherished for Generations
Our artisans are women native to the interiors of North Karnataka. For
them, Kasuti is not just an employment opportunity; it is a cultural
expression they can practice from the comfort of their homes.
The dedication required is immense. A single Kasuti saree takes
between 2 to 4 months to complete. Heavily embroidered heritage
pieces can take up to 6 months of painstaking effort.
2000+
WOMEN TRAINED
200
ACTIVE ARTISANS
