One evening in 2020, Indira Prashant stood in her dining room, scrubbing yet another food stain from her tablecloth. As a mother of two children, she had long accepted that spills, stains, and scratches were a part of daily life.

But as she watched the fabric wear thin from constant washing, a thought struck her — why wasn’t there a tablecloth that could withstand family life without losing its elegance?

What started as a simple need — table linen that was both beautiful and practical — evolved into The Yard House, India’s first brand offering wipeable, anti-slip, plastic-free cotton tablecloths. Today, the brand has found a place in over 10,000 homes, selling more than 30,000 products in just three years, proving that necessity truly is the mother of invention.

From a pet project to a business idea

The 44-year-old Indira’s journey into entrepreneurship wasn’t a conventional one. With a background in Chemical Engineering from BITS Pilani, an MBA, and a career spanning Colgate-Palmolive and Flipkart in marketing, she decided to take a break from corporate life in 2012 to focus on raising her two daughters. What started as a conscious decision to be present for her children soon led to an exploration of her long-time passion: home decor.

“I have always loved working with hardwood, brass, and antique textiles. I also have a deep appreciation for block printing and indigenous art,” Indira shares. Her keen eye for aesthetics was what initially drew her to table linen. “Tablecloths have the power to add character to a space. But with toddlers at home, I was washing my tablecloths every three days.”

A chance observation sparked her idea. “I was using mattress protectors for my kids and realised that there was a fabric that retained the softness of cloth while also being spill-resistant. That’s when I thought — why aren’t we doing this for table linen?”

500 days, 11 prototypes, and unwavering........

© The Better India