An ex-banker turned entrepreneur, Parul runs Paper Leaf, in Sector 44, Noida that stocks up on eco-friendly gifts, stationery and pretty paper products. A bunch of these things are made by Parul herself (she’s a potter and loves working with wood) while others are knick-knacks she’s collected as she travelled across Japan, Singapore, Dubai and other places. We stumbled upon some really interesting finds here. The store’s been recently renovated, and every inch has something of value.
A pagdi-shaped box to store trinkets, polar bear Post-Its, a mini-stapler from Japan, bamboo toothbrushes, DIY projects for kids, chalkboards in every size, frog-shaped planters, vintage bookcases, lamps, handmade paper, a hippo diffuser, elephant buntings, diaries, coasters, board games or crayons in cool luggage bags… it’s hard to imagine, but you can spend an hour just browsing through the jumble of things here. The unorganised and assorted nature of this shop makes it fascinating to explore.
We also loved that Parul has partnered with brands who are into eco-friendly diaries, or pens that grow into plants—or just anyone whose design philosophy echoes with her own. Oh, and she can customise name plates, gift tags and wooden alphabets.