Raksha Bandhan: 7 Easy Steps to Make Eco-Friendly Seed Rakhis at Home

Raksha Bandhan is just around the corner, and siblings all over the world are preparing to find ways to express their love for one another. Among these ways is the rakhi — the eternal symbol of love between siblings.

But what happens once the threads are snipped off and the rakhis are put away for good? Indibni, a sustainable gifting platform, puts forth a jarring figure — every year, 620 million rakhis end up in landfills.

There is a plethora of eco-friendly alternatives to choose from, including ‘seed rakhis’. Not only are these sustainable, but they also make for good keepsakes for your siblings, and are a heartfelt way to commemorate your bond.

On Instagram, Krishna Home Decor, an online home decor company, shares steps to make eco-friendly seed rakhis at home:

1. You will need natural air dry clay, which you can either collect from nearby fields or buy online. Remember to not choose polymer air dry clay, which does not merge with the soil.
2. Take out a piece of clay and mould it into a sphere, and then flatten it with your palm. Add a few seeds of any plant of your choice — basil, mint, coriander, or any flowering plant — and mould the clay again to mix it in well. Flatten it into a circular shape again. Ensure that your hands are wet while mixing the clay to get a smooth texture.
   Buy plant seeds here.
3. Use wooden blocks to imprint designs on the clay. Apply cornstarch over the block to prevent it from sticking to the clay.
   Buy wooden blocks here.
4. Make two holes at two ends of the moulded clay. This is to insert the strings.
5. Dry the clay overnight. Place it over parchment paper to maintain the design and shape.
6. After the clay is completely dry, you can paint it with natural colours.
   Buy natural paint here.
7. Your rakhi is now ready to be gifted. Once your sibling is done using it, you can take this rakhi and plant it in soil in a small pot. Keep it moist, and two weeks later, you will find that your plant is starting to grow.

Watch Krishna Home Decor’s video here:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Krishna Home Decor (@krishna_homedecor)

Edited by Divya Sethu

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