Oppressed artisans in Mumbai are converting used tyres into cherished, eco-friendly accessories regularly seen in the hands of celebrities.
When pop star Rihanna posed on the distinctive black ‘flap chair’ at the premier Design Miami 2024 event, the image promptly gained massive attention. The furniture piece wasn’t just a fashionable statement, but a testament to the evolution and resilience of Chamar Studio. This design collective from Mumbai’s low-income districts put the marginalized Dalit community in the international spotlight at this annual display of contemporary furniture and designs.
For hundreds of years, Dalits, historically derogatorily referred to as ‘untouchables,’ were positioned at the lowest tier of India’s caste hierarchy. They were barred from receiving formal education and participating in public life, with most restricted to menial jobs. Despite the prohibition of such discrimination by the Indian constitution in 1950, biases persist. In the first half of 2025 alone, 113 caste-related attacks were reported across the country.
In the Dalit community, ‘Chamar’ was traditionally a term for leatherworkers, but often used as a derogatory term. Sudheer Rajbhar, a Dalit artist from Uttar Pradesh and the founder of Chamar Studio, shares his experience. “Growing up in Mumbai slums, I was often insulted as ‘Chamar.’ Today, I reclaim the word that once insulted me, employing it in my art.”
Chamar Studio was established in 2015, coinciding with the increasing prohibitions on cow slaughter following the election of Narendra Modi, who vowed to uphold Hindu cultural identity. Within a few years, beef bans were imposed in 20 out of the country’s 28 states. This legislation significantly impacted many Dalits who relied on leather-related trades for their survival, cutting off their access to raw materials and disrupting their livelihoods.
“After the prohibition, the Chamar community couldn’t continue working with animal leather,” Rajbhar said. “Generational skills became redundant overnight. In response, we introduced recycled rubber as an innovative, sustainable substitute, turning necessity into a creative opportunity.”
Most see discarded tyres and inner tubes as junk, but for us, they represented a fresh medium. We clean, cut and sew them into robust, waterproof bags, shoes, and furniture pieces that mimic leather but are cruelty-free and environmentally friendly.”
For Rohan Kumar, a cobbler who still maintains a modest spot at Mumbai’s Virar railway station, joining Chamar Studio unlocked new possibilities. “I used to struggle with my daily earnings, working on the roadside,” he recalls. “Now, my work is valued – not just monetarily, but for the respect it confers.” Kumar now creates pieces that are displayed in galleries, with the studio’s recent exhibitions including PAD London, India Art Fair, and Design Democracy Hyderabad.
Chamar Studio’s model allows artisans to stay rooted in their communities. Rajbhar and his team distribute creative tasks, collect finished products, and ensure fair wages, profit-sharing, and health insurance through the Chamar Foundation. “Employment here signifies more than income. It offers dignity, visibility, and prospects for long-term community growth,” says Kumar.
Rihanna’s viral moment on the flap chair introduced Chamar Studio to the global stage, according to Anubhav Nath, Director of Delhi’s Ojas Art gallery. “Art’s beauty lies in its ability to serve as a fantastic social equalizer. People value the design, regardless of the artist’s background.”
Rahul Gandhi, the leader of India’s opposition Congress party, visited the studio earlier this year, dubbing it a model of “production and participation.”
“We want Dalit identity to be recognized in galleries, in museums, and in the global imagination,” Rajbhar asserted. “By converting trash into art and insult into pride, we aim to reshape our environment and society.”
