Ancient Clay Cooling: How Indian Brands Are Revolutionising Sustainable Home Solutions

As India endures record-breaking temperatures, a revival of age-old clay traditions is sweeping through contemporary design studios and neighbourhood artisans alike. From electricity-free refrigerators to elegant terracotta water coolers, forward-thinking brands are championing sustainability, heritage craftsmanship, and low-tech solutions fit for the 21st century. This ancient material—unassuming yet remarkably effective—offers natural cooling properties that modern technology struggles to match without significant energy consumption.

The Science of Clay: Natural Cooling for Modern Times

At the heart of India's clay renaissance is Mitticool, whose flagship clay refrigerator has catapulted traditional terracotta cooling into the national spotlight. This 50-litre, electricity-free appliance functions through simple evaporative processes—unglazed, porous clay draws heat from within and dissipates it through moisture on its surface, a technique unchanged in principle for millennia but given contemporary form through thoughtful design.

CoolANT has taken this concept further with its beehive-inspired modular systems. Their ingenious terracotta cylinders line interior walls, creating cooling arrays that can lower room temperatures by up to 6–10°C in ideal conditions. As ambient air flows through the porous tubes, it cools via evaporation—biomimicry meets vernacular pottery without wires or compressors.

"In various projects, we've employed these passive design-inspired facades using terracotta cones or tiles to filter light, facilitate ventilation, cool and reduce heat gain, offering both thermal comfort and a visual connection to traditional Indian architecture. These systems have been integrated into commercial, residential, and institutional projects with a measurable impact on indoor thermal comfort levels," explains a CoolANT representative.

For the urban minimalist, DyzClay offers sleek, matte-finish earthen coolers with 10-litre capacity. Each handmade unit features concealed drip trays ensuring water seepage is managed discreetly, while unglazed clay walls keep water refreshingly cold for hours when placed in shaded, ventilated spots.

These innovations reflect a growing desire for sustainable solutions that honour India's rich material heritage whilst addressing contemporary climate challenges.

From Tradition to Trend: Clay Homeware for Contemporary Living

Beyond cooling applications, clay's renaissance extends to broader homewares, with brands reimagining traditional vessels for modern interiors. Bengaluru-based Zishta collaborates with over 650 rural artisans across 15 states to produce unglazed clay dahi-handis, biryani sets and tumblers that unite tradition with contemporary silhouettes. Their approach emphasises raw terracotta forms, unadorned by glazes, highlighting the natural hues and textures of regional clays.

Meanwhile, Terracotta by Sachii operates from rural clusters in West Bengal, where master craftsmen shape objects by hand before firing them in traditional clamp kilns. Their recent summer collection features everything from tea-light holders to insulated clay water bottles, each piece offering sensorial depth that modern ceramics often lack.

The appeal of these products transcends mere functionality—they connect urban dwellers to India's craft heritage, introducing tactile authenticity into homes dominated by mass-produced goods. Each piece tells a story of place, lineage and technique, standing in direct contrast to the anonymous production of conventional homewares.

Community Engagement: Workshops and New Applications

The revival of clay extends beyond product development into community education and unexpected applications. The Sanskriti Museum of Indian Terracotta has partnered with Zishta to host summer workshops where participants learn coiling, slab-building and low-temperature firing techniques to create their own mini-coolers. These five-day intensive programmes empower participants to harness clay's natural properties, fostering appreciation for traditional knowledge systems.

In Delhi and surrounding areas, weekend pottery sessions led by trained artisans introduce urbanites to clay's cooling potential. Participants learn to craft simple terracotta devices that genuinely reduce indoor temperatures without electricity—practical knowledge that many take home to replicate.

"Before attending the workshop, I thought clay coolers were just decorative items from a bygone era," shares Priya Sharma, a recent workshop participant at Naveen Chhaya Ceramics Studio in Hauz Khas. "But after creating my own cooler and experiencing how it maintains a temperature several degrees below ambient without any electricity, I've installed three in my flat. They've transformed how I experience Delhi summers."

Perhaps most surprisingly, clay's renaissance has reached India's culinary scene. Jaatre, the artisanal ice-cream maker, has transitioned from plastic tubs to 100% natural terracotta kulhads and serving vessels. These traditional clay cups not only maintain optimal temperature for artisanal scoops but also reduce single-use waste whilst adding a nostalgic element to the dining experience.

One loyal customer, Rahul Menon, attests to the difference: "I took Jaatre's Belgian chocolate ice cream home in both their terracotta container and a standard plastic tub as an experiment. The ice cream in the earthenware remained perfectly scoopable for nearly three hours in Delhi's summer heat, while the plastic container's contents had melted into soup within an hour. It's remarkable how something so traditional can outperform modern materials."

As climate challenges intensify across the subcontinent, India's clay revolution demonstrates how ancient wisdom can address contemporary problems. From coolers that function without electricity to homewares that reduce reliance on plastics, these innovations prove that sometimes the most effective solutions have been within reach for millennia—quietly waiting to be rediscovered and reimagined for modern life.