Making your shopping experience count

The Nepali market is saturated with things. Even though we import most products, there is no dearth of items to fit every taste and budget. But, we believe, shopping shouldn’t just be about accumulating things. The stuff you bring into your house should have a story to tell, it should bring joy, and if you can help someone in the process then that’s even better. Here, we recommend three cool places to shop. From stationery and household items to clothes and other accessories, you will find everything you need at these stunning stores.

Maya ko Chino

Located at Jhamsikhel chowk in Lalitpur, Maya ko Chino is a quaint little store that houses a lot of things. There are macrame decorations, ceramic items like cups, jugs, and bowls, copper and steel kitchen items, notebooks made from recycled paper, and knitwear, among other things. It’s a collective store that promotes handmade products from different parts of Nepal. Some local brands that feature prominently at the store include Joba Knitwear, Eco Sathi Nepal, Yellow Hatti, Saboo: Nepal, and We Will Rise Collective. All the items are well-made and thus durable. We guarantee you will want to browse the store thoroughly and won’t be able to leave empty-handed. While you are there, say hi to the owner’s much-pampered pooch, whom she took in from the streets a few years ago, and can now be found lounging in the store. She’s a sweetheart.

The Local Project Nepal

When The Local Project was launched in 2017, as a platform for native and indigenous products, it was perhaps the first of its kind. Their main aim is to provide customers with a wide range of locally made products that are of good quality and sustainable. They believe in fair wages and are driven by their desire to provide local artisans and entrepreneurs with sustainable livelihoods. They also focus on empowering women and socially excluded groups as well as promoting the concepts of recycling and upcycling. Besides their line of products, they have items from Yatri Supply Kathmandu, Riti Riti, Suiro Teas, Mheecha, Alchi, and The White Yak, among others. The Local Project Nepal has two outlets: one in Jhamsikhel, Lalitpur, inside Evoke Café premises, and the other in Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, inside Le Sherpa Restaurant. Both the outlets are closed on Mondays. Le Sherpa hosts a farmer’s market on Saturdays and this can be a great time to visit The Local Project outlet there.

Dhukuti

For home décor and crafts, Dhukuti in Kupondole, Lalitpur, can become your one-stop solution. Spread across three floors, opposite the newly-opened Himalayan Java in Kupondole, Dhukuti is the retail store of the Association of Craft Producers which is a fair-trade organization in Nepal that supports low-income artisans with the production process as well as marketing. At Dhukuti, you can buy bed sheets and covers, tableware, wooden furniture, metal furniture, tote bags and pouches, ceramics, and paper crafts including gift bags and envelopes among many other things. Driven by a commitment to fair trade, ACP ensures that the things sold at Dhukuti adhere to the values of fairness and long-term sustainability. The shop is frequented by foreigners and locals alike, with the latter now showing a growing interest in it than ever before.