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The Brown Lens

 

Design That Endures, Choices That Matter

At Brown Living, design isn’t just about how something looks – it’s about how it lives with you. The Brown Lens is our curation framework: a perspective that filters every object through two layers:

  1. Sustainability at its core
  2. Design as the final word

This ensures that what you bring home is not only beautiful and functional, but also responsible and enduring.

The Brown Lens© – Our Curation Compass

At Brown Living, design is our first principle—but true design must also be responsible. Every product we curate is filtered through The Brown Lens©, a two-layer framework that considers both sustainability and design integrity.

What We Look For:

  • Sustainability as DNA – not just a campaign, but embedded in how products are conceived, designed, and produced.

  • Indian Roots – made or founded in India, supporting local ecosystems and communities.

  • Material Innovation – from repurposed truck tarps and discarded fishing nets to deadstock fabrics and military surplus, we celebrate creativity that reduces waste.

  • Fair & Transparent Practices – ethical production, open supply chains, and honest storytelling behind every object.

  • Small-Batch Craft Mindset – prioritizing quality, longevity, and care over mass production or scale.

Why It Matters

We believe the objects you live with should earn their place, crafted to last, rooted in integrity, and designed to inspire. That’s why we choose fewer, better things: pieces that enrich your everyday life while protecting the world around you. Because timeless design, ethical production, and sustainability aren’t trends, they’re the only way forward.

The Brown Lens transforms consumption into curation. It empowers you to shop with discernment, choosing fewer, better things that last longer and mean more.

Because true luxury is not loud. It’s designed well, made well, and meant to be kept.

Layer One: Sustainability Principles

Every product must first pass our sustainability criteria.
We ask:

  • Materials: Is it natural, upcycled, or low-impact?
  • Process: Is it crafted ethically, reducing waste and emissions?
  • Community: Does it support artisans, small businesses, or fair practices?
  • Lifecycle: Can it be reused, recycled, or responsibly disposed of?
  • Packaging: Does it arrive plastic-free and mindful?

This is our non-negotiable foundation: products that care for the planet and people behind them.

Layer Two: Design-First Curation

From those that qualify, we then ask: Is it worth your space? Our design lens looks for:

  • Form: Is it timeless, minimal, and quietly striking?
  • Function: Does it serve everyday life elegantly and with ease?
  • Emotion: Does it tell a story, spark connection, or bring joy?
  • Endurance: Will it outlast trends, becoming part of your rituals?
  • Presence: Does it elevate how it feels to live with it?

Only when sustainability and design meet do we invite it into our collections.

- Chaitsi Ahuja

The Brown Lens | Product Selection Method & Framework by Brown Living

The Brown Lens is inspired by Circular Design & Life Cycle Assessment principles, the framework primarily focusses on 5 aspects: Source, Method, Packaging, Life & Beyond, and Design Aesthetic. A few example questions are listed below for your understanding:

The Brown Lens | Product Selection Method & Framework by Brown Living

SOURCE - What is it made of? Where do the ingredients come from? 

  • Raw
  • Natural
  • Chemical Free
  • Plastic Free
  • Toxin Free
  • Vegan or Plant Based
  • Organically grown
  • Reused/Upcycled
  • Locally made
  • Mineral Based
  • Thrift/Second-Hand

METHOD - How is it made? Who makes it? Is it waste-free?

  • Cruelty-Free
  • Handmade
  • Handcrafted
  • Water Conserving
  • Low Carbon Impact
  • Fair Trade Certified
  • Ethically Made
  • Energy Conserving
  • Renewable Energy used

PACKAGING - Is it plastic-free? Is it recyclable? Is it compostable?

 

  • 100% Plastic-Free packaging in an upcycled or 100% post-consumer box
  • Recycled paper wrapping and stuffing
  • Shipping boxes sealed with a paper tape with starch-based adhesive

 

LIFE & BEYOND - During its Life & beyond, does it harm the earth? Can it be reused?

 

  • Slow Living
  • Biodegradable
  • Decomposable
  • Compostable
  • Recyclable
  • Up-cyclable
  • Reusable
  • Energy Conserving
  • Durable or Long Use up to 2x or 3x 

DESIGN / AESTHETIC - Is it well designed? Is it innovative? Does it solve a problem

  • Calming
  • Simple
  • Comforting
  • Nurturing
  • Earthy
  • Minimal
  • Modern Indian / Contemporary
  • Thoughtful
  • Functional
  • Authentic
  • Timeless
  • Elegant

 

Why is it important?

The Brown Lens helps in identifying areas of improvement for each product, validating and recognising the truly sustainable business practices, curating a range of products that are true to our ethos and cause, thereby enhancing customer interactions with a truly conscious shopping experience.

Using the Brown Lens is central to our selection process and each member of the curator's council is trained to look at the product through the lens.

 

Write to us below or email us here to find out more.