Trading Toxic Beedi-Rolling for Better Livelihoods: The Kottravai Story
Women cheering for women? Honestly, there’s nothing better. But real progress isn’t just about breaking glass ceilings—it’s about uplifting those fighting to survive. While some women are reaching for the stars, millions are still trapped in hazardous work—from rolling beedis in toxic dust to gruelling labour at brick kilns. Jobs that put food on the table while taking a toll on their health and wellness. No woman should have to sacrifice her body and mind for a paycheck. Karunya, the founder of Kottravai, decided that had to change. Today, she’s helping rural women trade toxic work for safe, dignified livelihoods. Here is how she’s rewriting their future.
How Art Became an Alternative to Hazardous Work
The women of Tenkasi already worked with incredible skill. The problem was what they were making.
For years, many spent 9–12 hours rolling beedis for ₹150–200 a day. The work was repetitive, the pay was meagre, and handling tobacco every day often left women with persistent coughs, breathing issues, headaches, eyestrain, and homes that permanently smelled of tobacco.
Except that beedi rolling was never their only skill. Many of these women had grown up learning traditional crafts from their mothers and grandmothers. They knew how to transform everyday natural materials—coconut shells, banana bark, and palm leaves—into beautiful, handcrafted products. But over time, those skills slowly took a backseat because beedi rolling became one of the few ways to earn a steady income.
Karunya saw this unfold in her own family and across her community. She kept coming back to one thought: What if these hands could build a livelihood from their art instead?
The answer to that question became Kottravai, named after the Tamil Goddess of War. But this wasn’t a battle fought with weapons. It was a fight for something every woman deserves—a safe workplace, a dignified livelihood, and the chance to earn through a skill she could truly be proud of.
Kottravai: Building More Than Livelihoods
An engineer by education and an entrepreneur by choice, Karunya Gunavathy founded Kottravai with a simple yet powerful vision: to create safe livelihoods for women, revive traditional crafts, and prove that one local idea can create global impact.
The model is refreshingly simple. Women are brought into Kottravai through trusted community networks and undergo a structured 30-day training program in eco-friendly craft production. But the learning doesn’t stop there. Kottravai also connects its artisans to real markets through corporate gifting, retail partnerships, and digital sales, ensuring their skills translate into sustainable livelihoods.
The impact is easy to see. Women can earn around ₹250–400 a day in an 8-hour workday—without the health risks of beedi rolling. And because many of these opportunities exist within their own communities, they can earn a steady income while staying close to home.
Kottravai didn’t set out to chase the Sustainable Development Goals—they’re a natural outcome of the work. From empowering women (SDG 5) and creating decent work (SDG 8) to championing responsible production (SDG 12), while strengthening rural livelihoods (SDG 1) and reducing inequalities (SDG 10), Kottravai shows what happens when purpose and action go hand in hand.
More Than Just Beautiful Products
It’s one thing to hear about the impact. It’s another to see what these artisans create.
From coconut shell earrings and plant hangers to banana fibre baskets, bottle holder sling bags, terracotta pieces, and eco-friendly home essentials, every product carries a story of Indian craftsmanship while encouraging more mindful choices for the planet.
Kottravai also does festive and corporate gifting. So the next time you’re hunting for gifts that are thoughtful, sustainable, and genuinely memorable, you know where to look.
And there’s more than just home décor to explore. Kottravai also brings thoughtfully made food essentials to your pantry, including traditional spice powders, health mixes for children, and instant dosa and rice mixes.
Getting to Know Kottravai Better
To get to know Kottravai a little better, we asked Karunya a few questions.
Tell us about your co-founder, Ananthan Ayyasamy.
“Ananthan, my co-founder, is a former Engineering Director at Intel. With over 20 years of experience in the technology industry, he brings strategic direction and operational expertise to Kottravai. While I work closely with our artisan communities and product development, Ananthan focuses on building systems and scaling the business, helping us grow our impact in a sustainable way.”
Where do you source the raw materials from?
“We source almost all our raw materials locally from Tenkasi. Whether it’s banana fibre, coconut shells, palm leaves, or other natural materials, we work with local farmers and markets to procure them. Sourcing locally not only keeps our supply chain rooted in the community but also supports the local economy.”
Sustainability is clearly at the heart of Kottravai. Does that extend to your packaging as well?
“Absolutely. We try to be mindful at every step. Our products are packed using old newspapers and shredded paper wherever possible. It’s a small choice, but one that helps us reduce waste and stay true to our values.”
What’s one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced while building Kottravai?
“One of our biggest challenges is retaining artisans. We continue to strengthen our support systems and create long-term opportunities so more women choose to grow with Kottravai.”
Where can our readers find Kottravai’s products?
“You can explore our products on the Kottravai website and on Amazon. We’ll also be launching on Flipkart soon. Along with individual orders, we’re actively working with businesses for corporate and festive gifting, helping more organisations make thoughtful and sustainable gifting choices.”
Where do you see Kottravai in the next five years?
“We envision Kottravai growing into a trusted lifestyle, wellness, and food essentials brand for eco-conscious consumers. At the same time, we’re focused on expanding our B2B partnerships, especially in corporate and festive gifting, so we can create more opportunities for our artisans and reach more people through conscious businesses.”
Let’s Keep the Story Going
Source: Kottravai
Every once in a while, you come across a brand that makes you rethink what a purchase can do. Kottravai is one of them.
If you’d like to support their work, explore their products, think of Kottravai for your next bulk festive or corporate gifting requirement, and help spread the word. Every purchase, every introduction, and every new partnership helps Kottravai create more opportunities for women to earn through traditional craft instead of hazardous beedi work.
And if you know someone who’d appreciate this story, or would be interested in buying from Kottravai- hit that share button—you never know who it might inspire.
