Hyderabad’s new organic store champions sustainable living

Chennai-based social enterprise Tula India is making its way to Hyderabad with a new venture, The Conscious Living Store (TCLS). Opening on August 1 in Kukatpally, the 350 sq. ft. store brings together organic groceries and handmade clothing, all in line with Tula’s philosophy of sustainability — from farm to fabric, and with absolutely no plastic packaging.

The three-day launch will include workshops and sessions with experts on conscious living.

Jyotsna Vegella
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Special Arrangement

Run by engineer-turned-ecopreneurs Jyotsna and Rakesh Vegella, the newly-wed couple say they are not the founders, but are simply “replicating what’s already been beautifully done by Tula, with a little mentoring from Ananthoo sir,” referring to Tula’s co-founder.

Rakesh, who specialises in organic food, and Jyotsna, a designer with Tula, wanted to combine their interests but were not sure what kind of eco-friendly business to start. It was Ananthoo who suggested bringing the Tula concept to Hyderabad. “One of the biggest issues with organic stores is the plastic packaging. Even if the product is organic, we end up consuming microplastics from the packaging itself,” says Jyotsna. That is why customers at TCLS are expected to bring their own cloth bags and containers.

Grocery section
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The store is split into two sections — organic groceries on one side and handspun, handmade clothing on the other. The food section stocks around 65 items, including several varieties of rice, millets, wheat, pulses, cold-pressed oils, sweeteners, spices, and a few toiletries. The clothing line features everyday wear for men, women, and children, including newborn sets, dhotis, and towels.

Due to space constraints, the launch and workshops will be held at a nearby community hall. But the focus, Jyotsna says, goes beyond retail. “We want people to build conscious living into their daily habits, it should feel natural, not like a chore.”

The team plans to continue monthly talks and workshops at the store going forward.

Uzramma, founder of Malkha Marketing Trust and Narsanna,founder of Aranya Agricultural Alternatives are to launch the store on August 1 at 11 am followed by talks and workshops by experts. For more details check out their social media pages.