The Story of Igniv

Born from nature. Shaped by creativity. Made with care.

Igniv is a creative journey made tangible — a meeting place for nature, heritage, design, craftsmanship and conscious living.

A length of coral eco printed cloth patterned with pale leaf shapes — Coral ground, pale leaves

Roots

My story began long before Igniv.

Growing up around my ancestral estate in Sri Lanka, I learned to appreciate what the land freely offered. I picked wild flowers, foraged mulberries with my aunt to make jam, and watched milk from our cows become butter and yoghurt. We took only what we needed, leaving fruit in the trees for the birds and animals and respecting the natural balance around us.

That way of living quietly became part of who I am.

Fresh petals and flowers scattered across a white cloth before bundling — Petals, laid out

A pair of pink hand painted earrings showing blossom on a branch, on a woven mat — Blossom on a branch

Illustration of a raw silk sari with patchwork elephant motifs and a banded border — Raw silk sari, patch worked

A 2006 Sunday Observer fashion page covering the Fashion Designer of the Year semi finals — Sunday Observer, October 2006

Creative Instinct

Observe, imagine and create.

My creativity grew alongside nature — from pressing flowers into handmade cards and drawing scenery, to designing my own clothes as a teenager. I eventually explored fashion design, becoming one of ten finalists in a 2006 competition from around 300 applicants.

Architecture, art, pottery, design and making have since become different expressions of the same lifelong instinct: to observe, imagine and create.

The Kitchen & COVID

Born unexpectedly during COVID.

With shortages and disrupted supply chains, our grocery orders often arrived with unexpected abundance — four kilos of tomatoes one day, an excess of chillies another — while my own garden was producing generously. Having time on my hands and preserving knowledge passed down from my mother, I began experimenting, making sauces, preserves and other creations for our home, family and friends.

When restrictions eased, I saw local home growers struggling to sell their produce. An Architects' Design Market was created to help revive creative livelihoods during the difficult period, and I took the opportunity to bring along the sauces and things I had been making simply for those around me. That became my first retail experience — and it was an unexpected success. People began asking for more.

A range of homemade preserve jars displayed on a tile — Preserves collection

A market stall of handmade soaps, candles and hair oils at a Sri Lankan craft fair — The stall, on market day

Philosophy

Take thoughtfully. Create consciously. Waste less. Respect nature.

What started at home slowly became a small, market-approved business, growing organically through people who connected with what I was making and, more importantly, why I was making it. Over time, Igniv evolved beyond food into natural wellness and body care, candles, art, pottery, jewellery and other creative works — a growing collection rather than a single category.

My love for animals is an equally important part of this journey. I have rescued and cared for animals and remain deeply committed to their welfare and protection. I believe that conscious living must extend beyond what we consume to how we treat the living world around us.

A blossom of white shells set on a piece of coral, with a silver bail — Set on coral

Moulded red clay forms resting in a teal fluted bowl — Moulded red clay forms

The Nest

Igniv: A Nest in Sursilvan Romansh

The name Igniv, meaning nest in Sursilvan Romansh, felt quietly appropriate — a place of belonging, care, resourcefulness and protection. Everything begins with the same question: Can I create something beautiful, useful and meaningful while treading a little more lightly on the earth?

“Can I create something beautiful, useful and meaningful while treading a little more lightly on the earth?”

Handmade with Meaning

A brooch of pale shells opening like an orchid, with a green glazed leaf — Pale orchid

Handmade red clay dandelion pen pot in use on a work desk — Dandelion pen pot, in use

Hand painted wooden earrings with tulips, lilies and marigolds on dark grounds — Tulips, lilies, marigolds

Translucent soaps set with dried citrus slices on a white plate — Citrus, set in soap