Lacware is a 200-year old traditional craft from Channapatna, Karnataka, India. Lacware is made by turning and shaping wooden pieces into utilitarian products on the lathe.
Most products are a combination of circularly symmetric shapes owing to each product being created entirely on the lathe from shaping to the application of lac.
The Wood
These wooden toys are handcrafted from Hale or Aale wood from the Wrightia Tinctoria tree that grows in abundance in southern India. The wood is harvested from trees that are cultivated on agricultural land and not from forest trees, protecting the natural ecology of the region. Only branches are harvested and never the full tree, giving this fast growing tree the opportunity to continue growing.
Hale wood is soft and fine-grained making it ideal for turning on the lathe and for the smooth application of lac. This wood is seasoned and used directly without the need for any chemical treatment. Making it safe and non-toxic for toy production.
What is Lac?
Lac is a 100% non-toxic natural resin, that has been used in India since the ancient times. It is secreted by a tiny insect called Laccifer Lacca that lives on certain trees. This resin is harvested from the surface of these trees, cleaned and purified. It is then made into lac flakes, seed lac, button lac and shellac.
Lac is approved as a food grade finish and used widely in the pharmaceutical and confectionary industry today.
Natural Dyes
All the colours used on our toys are extracted from plants, trees or minerals.
Making of the Lac Stick
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Button lac is heated on a charcoal fire.
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As it starts melting it is brought together into one homogenous mass using two sticks.
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At this point the colour is mixed in.
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It is then mixed together till the colour has blended in evenly.
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& 6. The lac is kneaded well and shaped into long rods that are cut into small sticks before it hardens and can be used to colour the wood.
Shaping the Wood
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The wood is cut to the desired length and fitted onto the lathe.
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It is shaped into a cylinder of the desired diameter using a chisel.
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Various hand tools are used to turn the wood into the required shape and size.
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Once the desired shape is achieved, the wood is then sanded down into a smooth finish while still on the lathe.
Most artisans today use motorised lathes and hand lathes are used only to make small beads.
Adding Colour
A lac stick is pressed against the smoothly sanded wood to apply colour.
The heat from the friction caused by the spinning on the lathe melts the lac and transfers the colour onto the wood.
The artisan makes sure to cover the surface evenly.
The lac coating is polished into a glossy effect using a dry screw pine leaf.
Safety Certifications
Our wooden toys are made to give flight to your child’s imagination, so they can inhabit worlds of their own creation, become amazed at their own discoveries and abilities and have the freedom to explore.
Our range of products support early childhood development while keeping your child’s sense of wonder and curiosity at the forefront.
Pre-order these gift worthy wooden toys here.