Much before the time of sleek, fancy lunch bags with zips and pouches, the trusty, sturdy koodais of varying sizes were the standard lunch companions. The woven wire bags, that somehow never wore out despite being stuffed with large snack and lunch boxes and water bottles, stood the test of time and for many, multiple years through school.
The humble koodai is now, however, having a moment. They are in vogue and jazzed up with flaps, pouches, buttons and shiny buckles. The colour combinations you once thought were tacky (think green and violet) are now considered cute, and kitschy. The koodai now comes in many sleek avatars — slings, clutches, and even mini handbags with trendy handles. We meet four designers from Tamil Nadu, who are giving this woven craft seeped in nostalgia a contemporary twist.
Basq Artistry
Basq Artistry’s bags come in tans, deep browns and metallic shades
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Special Arrangement
For Sneha Ganesh, the koodai has been everywhere since she was a child. “I remember seeing my grandmother weave baskets, and many years later, my-mother-in law doing the same. While a koodai catches your eye, it isn’t something that I would immediately pick up and walk out with,” she says. Sneha decided she wanted to make bags which could lend itself to any outfit or occasion — while retaining the traditional look and charm of the koodai, and soon founded her Coimbatore-based brand Basq Artistry.
“There are so many variations of woven baskets not just across the country, but even in Tamil Nadu. I went on a tour to delve a little deeper into this before I launched my brand. I was fascinated with the different methods and materials used. The basket weaving style in Chettinad for instance, is very different from how baskets are made in Pudukottai,” she recalls.
From tan, to metallic silver, Basq Artistry’s woven bags scream contemporary. “I was very specific about the colours and wanted to replicate the solid colours that we get leather totes or bags in. I got these colours custom made for the brand, and then got bags woven,” she says. While their tan and brown tote baskets are roomy, and good for everyday use, smaller handbags and clutches with metallic buckles and straps are perfect for an evening out. “We also have backpacks for children, and roomy lunch bags with flaps on all sides. People really seem to prefer the koodais and other bags in our collection which come with a fabric lining and a pocket,” she says, of their product line. The ease that these koodai bags give, of simply dumping things inside and taking it anywhere is a major draw, she says.
While they hope to bring out more iterations of woven laptop sleeves this year, Sneha says they are also working on crossbody travel and sling bags which will be launched soon.
Basq Artistry is on Instagram at @basqartistry. Bags are priced ₹450 onwards
Knots Bag
Thanusheeya VS at the Top Drawer trade show
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Dave George
“Koodais are a century-old art from Tamil Nadu and I wanted people to feel like they are carrying a piece of history.” The founder of Chennai-based Knots Bag, Thanusheeya VS, is quick to say this when asked about her brand, which was born after extensive research and experiments.
“A decade ago, I was in Hong Kong on a holiday and saw a specific brand of woven bags being much in demand. I was immediately struck by how we have our koodais back home, and our unique weaving techniques,” she says. While she remembers seeing the koodai primarily being used as a lunch bag, and considered ordinary, she wanted to change things up.
Bags with bamboo handles and metal buckles made by Knots Bag
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Special Arrangement
“When a bag can last a couple of decades and withstand any climatic condition, I felt strongly about bringing in some innovation and design to make it more appealing to our current design and fashion aesthetic,” she says. The design process was a long one, for over three years, and Thanusheeya worked with a product designer friend, Krishnaveni V from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad to develop prototypes. “Lightweight styles and ergonomic handles were our top focus. While I chip in with the design, the brand works with a group of around 10 women who weave the bags,” she says.
Made from LDPE(Low Density Polyethelyne) fibre and recycled non-biodegradable plastic, Knots Bag has lightweight sling bags in solid, bright colours, clutches which include a tartan clutch specially made for the Christmas season, mini handbags that come with metal buckles and bamboo handles, and large roomy totes. Their latest collection, has bright blue woven koodai totes with lemons on it, a bright yellow minion-themed bag and something for cat and panda lovers as well.
“While we have made woven bags with apple leather, we are now experimenting with leather made of coconut malai. Among our newer designs coming up is an iPad clutch which you can hold from the inside,” Thanusheeya says.
Last year, Thanusheeya’s Knots Bag was selected by the University of Arts London’s Design Trade Show, Top Drawer, and they had the opportunity to put up a stall. “This was something that UK had never seen before and the visitors there were fascinated by the product range. It also made me very cognisant of the fact that here, we might probably have the last generation of artisans in this field,” she says.
Knots Bag is on Instagram at @KnotsBag. Bags are priced ₹500 onwards.
Koodai Kadaii
Koodaii Kadai’s baskets have large hearts…quite literally. The brand’s signature roomy koodai totes come in a range of solid colours, with a large heart motif woven on them. “These come in different sizes and with handles of varied design. We were the first to do these heart koodais and the bags still remain very eye-catching,” says Laya Krishnaraj, founder of this Chennai-based brand.
Koodai Kadaii’s signature heart totes
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Special Arrangement
Laya chanced upon koodais in bright colours at the souvenir shop in the Tamil Nadu Police Museum Chennai at Egmore, and decided to place an order for brightly-coloured bags to be woven as return gifts for her birthday, in 2022. “I currently work with around 35 women from multiple institutes for destitute women, who are trained in weaving baskets and bags. While many of them used to do this as a part of their therapy work, they did not have an outlet or regular orders. After I began Koodaii Kadai, orders have been steady,” she says.
An interior designer by profession, Laya credits the rainbow collection she got made for her birthday as having kicked off her Koodai Kadaii venture, which she says has gone from being a hobby to an important part of her life. “The USP here is empowering women. It has been heartening to see them feeling empowered by the orders they get,” she says.
Cat baskets made by Koodai Kadaii
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Special Arrangement
From children ordering koodais to take to school to people buying koodais for their mothers and grandmothers, Koodai Kadaii’s customers span different age groups. Apart from their heart koodai totes, Koodai Kadaii is working on collaborations with artists from across the world. “We want artists to add their own touch to the koodais we make. While we are also sampling clutches, iPad and laptop sleeves, I am really excited for the pet beds we are working on,” Laya adds.
Koodai Kadaii is on instagram at @koodaikadaii. Bags are priced ₹400 onwards.
Wire Kadai
Having displayed her koodais at several small fairs and large exhibitions across Chennai since she started her brand last year, Mirnalini V from Chennai says she is truly seeing how versatile and loved koodais are.
Bags being handwoven for Wire Kadai
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Special Arrangement
“At Tiruvanmiyur, a group of women have been making koodais for years now. While they work on everything from laundry baskets to cat baskets for a vet clinic in the city, I decided to work with them to make a range of woven baskets, bags, and slings,” says Mirnalini.
Running Wire Kadai, she says, has opened her eyes to how many women are waiting for opportunities to showcase their skills. As an empowerment initiative, Mirnalini stresses on fair wages for the koodai collective of artisans she works with. “After I began posting about the koodais we were making, on Instagram, several artisans from across the State reached out and asked if they could weave bags for us as well. I work with them on the designs, and we exchange notes, YouTube videos and even references from Pinterest,” she explains.
The brand has experimented with fabric and chain straps, and wooden handles
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Special Arrangement
In a short span of time, Wire Kadai has diversified and come up with a range of designs. From the colourful, roomy koodais and woven totes she started off with, Mirnalini has now experimented with sling bags that come with fabric straps or chain handles, sleek handbags with round wooden handles, compact lunch koodais that come with flaps and can be closed, or have wooden handles, and smaller iterations of koodais with chic handles that make for great return gifts or wedding favours. The nostalgia is not just restricted to bags; Mirnalini has also made woven chairs that are in demand — similar to the round, comfortable chairs we sat on as children.
“Woven bags are sturdy, easily washable and most importantly unique. For us, it has also been lovely to hear people recounting their memories of going to school with a koodai — these bags have truly made a comeback now,” she adds.
Wire Kadai is on Instagram at @Wirekadai. Bags are priced ₹400 onwards.
Published – March 21, 2025 04:04 pm IST
