Rethinking Rakshabandhan: Rakhis that last beyond the festival

As shoppers seek more sustainable, versatile pieces, brands are reinventing the Rakhi as jewellery and everyday accessories

What if your Rakhi didn’t have to come off after Rakshabandhan? As shoppers lean towards sustainability and pieces with a longer life, brands are turning the traditional thread into convertible jewellery and everyday accessories, designed to be worn, reused and loved long after the celebrations end.

Rakhis that last beyond the festival

What’s the hype

Convertible rakhis are winning over consumers by cutting waste and offering better value, with founders stating a 40-50% year-on-year growth and a massive demand from NRI customers. Made with durable materials such as silver, brass and shells, these unique pieces turn a one-day ritual into an accessory that can be worn long after Rakshabandhan.

Rakhis that live beyond the ritual

Eterno gives the traditional Rakhi a longer life with detachable centrepiece motifs that transform into keepsake pendants. Founder Anushree Bora says, “I’ve been tying Rakhi to my brother for almost 26 years, and after Raksha Bandhan, it usually ends up in a drawer or gets thrown away. I wondered, why can’t the Rakhi become something we can keep and wear? The challenge was making it feel like a Rakhi while creating something you’d genuinely want to wear afterwards.”

Cosa Nostraa turns ornate Rakhi sets into functional button covers. Once the silk cord is removed, the motif clips onto shirt or kurta buttons, making it a stylish wedding-season accessory. Director Tanuj Vijay says, “My favourite Rakhi comes from our pop-up exhibitions. We had brothers walking in, picking out their own Rakhis, and sending the payment QR codes straight to their sisters! Seeing brothers excited to choose a Rakhi they could keep and wear long-term, rather than viewing it as a temporary ritual, was a great joy!”

At the intersection of kitsch and sentiment, Kihoy’s golden-shell raki-lumbas transform into statement earrings after the Rakhi ritual. Founder Suparna B Manna says, “On Rakhi, my aunt’s puris, chana dal and aloo dum brought the family together. As children, we collected Rakhis and gifts, not yet understanding the ritual’s deeper meaning. That togetherness inspired us to create Rakhis and Lumbas with a life beyond Raksha Bandhan—that transform into a pair of statement earrings to cherish long after.”

And then there’s Quirksmith, which turns its non-traditional Rakhi and lumba into a functional watch charm, giving the festive piece a life beyond Raksha Bandhan. Co-founder Divya Batra says, “Everyone was doing the same thing with these types of Rakhi, and I wanted to fill a gap. Why not make a Rakhi that converts into a watch charm, and the demand is crazy - despite the rising prices of silver, we have seen our demand go up 50% this year itself. You know, consumption is at an all-time high, so we wanted to make something not only to keep but that would fill a space.”