With their new Mārum collection, Murubi wanted to create something simple yet versatile – an idea that started with the thought of interchangeability. The design-duo were curious: what if the same frame could support different types of seats? That became the foundation for the collection. The goal was to design something modular, functional, and flexible – essentially, a design for choice. They wanted users to be able to switch between different looks and functions easily.
The word ‘Mārum’ means ‘will change’ in Tamil and reflects the adaptable design of this collection. The design strikes a balance between straight and curved lines, brought together through thoughtful and clever construction. First previewed at the Conscious Collective exhibition by Godrej in December 2024 as part of their fellowship showcase, Murubi officially launched the collection in February 2025, and it is now commercially available to order through their website.
“The collection is being offered in American walnut, American red oak and teak variants, and includes two seating types: a stool and a bench. Each of these can be paired with either a woven cane or water hyacinth seat, which offers an airy and geometric feel, or a solid wood seat for a more grounded, sculptural look. The base remains constant, but the possibilities shift with the material and weaving,” said Jaymin Panchasara, Co-Founder, Murubi.
The Mārum bench is a two-seater bench featuring chunky legs, soft lines, and curved seats, celebrating the timeless elegance of wood paired with the versatility of woven or wooden seats. A platform in the middle separates the two seats and serves to either lock the seats in place or to provide a convenient spot for a cup of coffee or other essentials.
The Mārum stool is inspired by chunky legs, soft lines and curved seats. Crafted in parts, it’s easy to customize, repair, and replace, making it durable and versatile. The Stitch version of the seat has a stitch detail running in the middle as an aesthetic element. Suitable for various settings, it adds warmth to any space – whether as a focal point for casual conversations or as a stylish addition to an interior.
“We had previously worked with American walnut and loved the richness and depth of its color. It brings a warm, luxurious feel to furniture, which aligned beautifully with the language we wanted for Mārum. Walnut is typically straight-grained, but it occasionally reveals wavy or curly figures that add character. We were also keen to introduce a stained variant in the collection, and American red oak was the perfect choice. It absorbs stain exceptionally well, allowing us to create a deep, even finish while still highlighting its natural texture,” added Panchasara.
According to Panchasara, American red oak has a unique, tactile quality with a straight grain, distinctive growth rings, and beautiful medullary rays that come alive when stained. Together, these two woods gave Murubi the flexibility to offer pieces that could feel both earthy and modern, with tactile richness to feel contemporary. Each species also brought its own distinct material language – walnut offering a warm, luxurious finish with subtle grain variations, while red oak brought a nice grain pattern that responds beautifully to stains.
This collection is designed with a circular motive – parts are upgradable and replaceable. The seats can be easily removed and swapped out, ensuring the pieces stay relevant and useful for years to come. Additionally, the flat pack design of the Mārum collection allows for easy transportation and assembly. The seats feature work from skilled artisans across India; the water hyacinth seats have been entirely woven by women weavers near Madurai, while the cane and wooden seats were fashioned by Murubi’s craftsmen in Vadodara.
“Our journey with water hyacinth began as part of the Godrej Design Lab fellowship. At Murubi, we’ve always been drawn to natural fibres, and water hyacinth stood out – not just for its character, but also for its environmental relevance. It’s one of the most invasive aquatic plants in the world, clogging rivers, lakes, and ponds, disrupting ecosystems, and affecting aquatic life and livelihoods. Harvesting helps restore water quality, making its use both purposeful and impactful,” said Shwetha Iyengar, Co-Founder, Murubi.
While water hyacinth has traditionally been used in basketry, it hasn’t been explored much in contemporary furniture design. Murubi aimed to change that – to expand its applications and bring it into the mainstream design conversation. Its flexibility, and unique texture make it a beautiful, renewable material with great potential for weaving and finishing. Through this collaboration, Murubi aimed to highlight the beauty of diverse craftsmanship and also support local communities.
“Through extensive research and prototyping, we explored its compatibility with different weaves and dyes, including Azo-free options, which gave us a rich palette to work with. We employed rush weaving techniques to craft unique seating surfaces for the Mārum collection. Collaborating with local women weavers near Madurai, enabled us to scale this responsibly, while also empowering these women. Ultimately, this material offered both an ecological solution and a design opportunity – turning a problem into a resource, and a fibre into a statement,” added Iyengar.
The Mārum collection embodies sustainability not just in form, but in principle – through longevity, adaptability, and efficient material use. When designing with circularity in mind, the material’s lifecycle becomes just as important as the object itself. This is where the environmental credentials of American hardwoods play a vital role. Crafted primarily from solid American walnut and American red oak, the collection benefits from the inherent sustainability of hardwoods that are naturally regenerating.
“These woods act as long-term carbon stores, sequestering CO₂ during growth and continuing to store carbon throughout the life of the product – even beyond if recycled or repurposed. For this collection, we sourced the walnut through a special donation by the Missouri Department of Agriculture, facilited by AHEC, and were confident that the timber is legally harvested, sustainably grown, and managed with minimal environmental impact. We selected these timbers not only for their beauty and durability but also for their proven environmental credentials,” added Panchasara.
“We’re truly happy with how the Mārum collection has come together. Seeing our ideas around materiality, modularity, and sustainability take shape in such a tangible way is incredibly fulfilling. What’s been even more rewarding is the positive response we’ve received – it’s reassuring to see that the values we’ve built into the collection are resonating with others. It feels like a meaningful step forward in our journey as designers, and we’re excited to see where this takes us next,” concluded Iyengar.
