What is Boxwalla?
We think of Boxwalla as a discovery platform for curious people, where we showcase the best art and artisans from around the world. You can experience the best in Beauty, Makeup, Book, Film, Artisanal Food, and Ethical Fashion.
So what’s with the name Boxwalla?
In India, the word boxwalla means ‘Box-seller’, ‘box person’ or ‘traveling merchant’. ‘Walla Walla’ is a First Nations name for a ‘place of many waters’. So we think of ourselves as traveling merchants, getting drunk on things of ‘many waters’ and sharing those things with you. As we travel, physically, or through the stories told by the things we love, we find that the figurative corners of the world begin to dissolve and what we are left with are universal human experiences.Â
That sounds a bit too cryptic, can you elaborate?
At Boxwalla, we scour the planet to bring you the best that our sensory, cultural, and intellectual world has to offer across multiple categories: Books, Beauty, Film, Food, Fashion. We think life is too short to waste on mediocre things and our aim has always been to cut through the noise on the internet to provide you recommendations, so you can indulge in the highest quality things, be that a cream, a story, or, a shawl.
We add a huge dose of slowness to the discovery process, to help you truly experience the things that matter, in a way that helps them matter more, and matter for longer. We do this by framing everything we showcase in the context within which it has been created, so you can begin to experience it fully.
What are your standards when it comes to beauty products?
We try to do our research before we decide which products to include. The products we include are not only made from nutrient-rich, nourishing ingredients but we like to ensure that they are properly preserved with safe yet effective preservatives. If there is a certain ingredient you are trying to avoid please contact us and we can confirm whether or not the products in the current box contain that ingredient. We also reveal the contents of each of the boxes few weeks inadvance so the users can see for themselves the products included in the box and make informed decisions.
How do you select products for your boxes?
We only include products that we personally love and that have been used or tested by our team.
Boxwalla is an expression of our shared love of artisanal products and the best that our sensory world has to offer. To that end, this is a labor of love: a small family owned business that we have funded ourselves, with no investor backing or external funding. This serves to maintain our high, non compromisable standards and allows us complete creative control.
If you are a brand interested in being featured in our box, please email us at contact@theboxwalla.in to discuss product submission for tasting or testing as the case may be!
And what about the boxes that these things come in?
Each box containing Boxwalla goodies is carefully crafted from tree-free handmade paper. A small company in Rajasthan, India makes the paper for us, from cotton scraps, using the traditional art of paper-making that involves 9 steps and takes several weeks. The handmade paper is then meticulously fashioned into the boxes that you see in the pictures. The whole process is completely child labor free and employs 63 local villagers and 20 skilled artisans whose families have been making paper for generations. We love supporting socially and environmentally conscious businesses such as these : They craft beautiful products while preserving traditional crafts and skills that would otherwise be completely lost.
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Are the beauty products you showcase in the Green Beauty and Clean beauty categories?
While the products we showcase would come under the umbrella of Green and Clean Beauty, we prefer not to be defined by these labels, because labels often go from being umbrella terms that help navigate a space, to short-hands that lose nuance, to ultimately being non-informative. That said, we have exacting standards that go beyond ingredient lists and showcase the best luxury plant-based skincare from around the world.
What If I Have Allergies to ingredients?
We reveal the products in each Beauty Box in advance, so you can also look up the ingredients to make sure that you aren’t allergic to any of them. If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know via email at contact@theboxwalla.in
And shipping?
The Beauty Boxes and the global beauty products are made fresh and ship directly from the US. The Book Subscription Boxes ship locally from within India
Boxes Shipping Only:
Both our Beauty Boxes and Book Boxes ship free to India!
Our Beauty Boxes are shipped using our special concierge service (included in the price of the boxes) which will cover Express Shipping to India as well as any customs, duties and taxes (without any phone call hassles!).
Beauty Retail Products Shipping Only:
Free Express Shipping for all retail orders of over INR 25,000. This tier will cover customs, taxes & duties!
We offer Free Economy Shipping for all retail orders above INR 12,000. The customer will be responsible for customs, taxes & duties in Economy Shipping.
For orders below INR 12,000, a flat rate of INR 1500 will be charged for Economy Shipping. The customer will be responsible for customs, taxes & duties.
You can combine Beauty Box and Retail products into one order and your entire order will ship free with Express Shipping covering customs, duties and taxes!
Do you ship to other countries?
Boxwalla India only within India. For International shipping please visit our U.S. website – https://www.theboxwalla.com/