A Tote to Celebrate Craftsmanship
A Collaboration with the Aluwihare Heritage Centre (AHC)
At House of Lonali, we believe that true sustainability goes hand-in-hand with preserving heritage and empowering communities. This philosophy came to life in our collaboration with the Aluwihare Heritage Centre (AHC) — a partnership that celebrates Sri Lankan craftsmanship through the creation of a meaningful product: the AHC x House of Lonali Tote.
Ena: An Idol and Inspiration
For our Head Designer Lonali, this project was especially close to her heart. As a design student in 2009, she visited AHC on a study tour and met Ena de Silva — the iconic creative behind the centre. "Ena welcomed us with the sweetest smile,” Lonali recalls.
“She was wearing three scarves and three hats stacked on top of each other — a perfect expression of her unique, vibrant style. She took us to her room, which was full of beautiful chaos. Every corner echoed her creativity and passion.” Ena remained a lifelong idol for Lonali — someone she deeply admired and always dreamed of collaborating with.
The Legacy of Aluwihare Heritage Centre
Aluwihare Heritage Centre was founded by Ena de Silva (1922- 2015) who is known for an unprecedented textile arts practice in Sri Lanka whose explorations of batik and hand embroidery established a new artistic paradigm for South Asia. Embracing long-held techniques of production as well as ideas from other disciplines and cultures, Ena de Silva led groups of artists and craftspeople throughout the country to further a Sri Lankan imaginary that reflected a changing society. The key feature of the various establishments run by Ena de Silva was that they mostly employed and trained women from the neighbourhood and it fitted into a strong belief around empowering women to be self-reliant. The Aluwihare Heritage Centre carries on this legacy of production with a team of 25 craftswomen specialising in resist wax dyeing techniques and traditional Sri Lankan hand embroidery.
In 2023, the Ena de Silva Foundation, a not for profit trust was set up with objectives to develop research, education, and innovation initiatives to engage, educate and work with young people to preserve and promote the legacy of Ena de Silva.
Crafting the Tote
Our collaboration began when AHC approached us for a special project commissioned by the Prince Claus Fund. The brief was to make tote bags for an event organised by the Prince Claus Fund in Amsterdam. It was an honour to contribute. AHC had a number of batik samples and offcuts from earlier projects, many of which were originally designed by Ena de Silva and artist Anil Gamini Jayasuriya and made by artisans at AHC. Each batik panel was intricate and unique. The ethos was to not let the tiniest piece go to waste. So, we upcycled the textiles, transforming them into 600 unique totes. Lonali hand-cut each panel with care, ensuring minimal wastage. Even the small offcuts were returned to AHC for appliqué work. These batik masterpieces were combined with industry-discarded fabrics and tapes, resulting in a vibrant fusion of tradition and sustainability. “It was fascinating to explore the diverse batik styles AHC had created — from ecological and fantastical to geometric, traditional, mythical, and abstract motifs,” says Lonali. “My role was to breathe new life into them while preserving their story.”
Made with Pride
Rosi, our talented maker who stitched all 600 totes, shared, “Each bag was unique — full of colour and character. It made me incredibly proud to know that something I made with my own hands was traveling all the way to Amsterdam.”
More Than Just a Tote
We are deeply grateful to the Prince Claus Fund for showcasing Sri Lankan craftsmanship at their event through this simple yet powerful tote, and to AHC for trusting us with this collaboration. This was more than just a project — it was a celebration of heritage, a commitment to conscious creation, and a testament to what’s possible when art, tradition, and sustainability come together. Together, we honoured the past while stitching a more thoughtful future.
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