Stars that bring people together

As the nights draw in, we greet the darkness with light, a shared symbol of celebration, warmth and togetherness.

As the nights get longer and winter approaches, we meet the darkness with celebrations of light. We carve pumpkins, we parade lanterns, we let off fireworks, and we greet the gloaming with a show of light, a burst of festivity, and a bright shining star.

In India, paper stars are hung for every kind of celebration: Diwali, Christmas, Eid. The same symbol shines across faiths and communities, a joyful reminder that light transcends religion, culture and geography. The same handmade stars that illuminate homes in Jaipur also hang in Scandinavian windows and glow from Christmas markets across Europe. Wherever they shine, they tell a story of connection.

Each star is handmade in Northern India through a long-standing fair trade partnership built on equality, trust and friendship. Paper Starlights is co-owned by British and Indian families who have worked side by side for almost thirty years. Their collaboration is rooted in mutual respect, shared responsibility and the belief that fair trade is about people first.

From the beginning, Paper Starlights has been about connection, not just through trade but through conversation and creativity. The partnership began as a friendship, and that spirit of collaboration runs through everything they do. It’s a business built on equality, where decisions are shared, profits are reinvested, and ideas travel freely in both directions.

Every star begins its life in a small workshop in India. Sheets of responsibly sourced paper are carefully measured, cut, folded and hand-punched to create intricate patterns. Designs are screen printed using traditional wooden frames and water-based inks, blending age-old skill with contemporary design. When lit, thousands of tiny perforations scatter the light like constellations, each one slightly different and unmistakably handmade.

Coloured tissue inserts, also cut and placed by hand, create a stained-glass glow that changes with the warmth of the bulb. The result is both delicate and durable: stars made to last and to be cherished, not simply bought and discarded. Every stage of production, from sourcing the paper to packaging, reflects the same commitment to sustainable and ethical practice.

For the families in India, the partnership provides secure, fairly paid work and a sense of pride in craftsmanship across generations. For the British family, it’s an enduring reminder that trade can be creative, collaborative and deeply human. Together they have built something that reaches far beyond business, a network of friendship and shared light stretching across continents.

Each star carries with it a little of the warmth, friendship and shared purpose that made it, a light that feels at home wherever it hangs.

Available now at Harrogate Fair Trade - come and see our beautiful canopy of paper stars in our Christmas Shop.

Visit our shop:

Harrogate Fair Trade Shop

St. Peter’s Church Porch, Cambridge St, Harrogate, HG1 1RW

07763 773157 | harrogatefairtradeshop.co.uk | shop@harrogatefairtrade.org.uk

Pop in to see the full collection and find your own star of light and connection this winter.