Introduction to Crafts

Introduction

India is a land where every corner is evident with the greatness of art and craft. The
traditional quintessence of Indian art and craft can be seen even in the daily used objects like
earthen pot, mugs, bed-sheets or any such things. The objects are created with a great
creativity that portrays magnificent work of art. Indian art and craft is an old saga. Although,
the present state of the industry is flourishing with a touch of contemporary designs and
patterns but it is deeply entrenched with the rich craft customs from the past. The
uniqueness in the Industry lies in its own way. That is what Indian art and craft industry is. In
handicrafts there is a continuous swing between utility and beauty. That swing has a name:
pleasure.

India’s richness in art and craft can be seen in every product whether garments,
jewelries or household furnishings. These products are a perfect mix of traditional designs
and modern techniques. Due to their diversity in designs and their being utilitarian in nature,
they are high in demand. This has given many Indian traders to invest in the industry and
flaunt India’s custom across the world. Products such as table mats, napkins, bed sheets,
lamp shades etc are made out astoundingly with the use of natural material, textile printing,
block printing, tie and die, hand printing etc, and are much in demand. Gems and jewelries
are other obsession of India. The rising demands in gems and jewelries have transformed
Indian craft traditions into a full-grown organized industry. Garments such as woolen shawls
and phirens from Himachal, traditional sarees ranging from Banarsi Amru, Tanchoi, Paithani,
Patola, and Kancheevaram are the most popular export garments. Indias zardozi and brocade
work are highly recognized these days. Other utilitarian craft products like cushions, curtains,
bedcovers, sheets, metal furniture, wood furniture, boxes, cabinets, terracotta items,
utensils, garden pots, brass and silverware, carpets, rugs and durries from Kashmir, jute and
coir items, wood and stone sculptures, traditional paintings, decorative pieces, embellished
wooden sculptures, stone and wood carvings, and many more are on the rise in India as well
as in abroad.
Handicraft or Artisanal Products

"Handicraft or Artisanal products are those produced by artisans, either completely by

hand, or with the help of hand tools or even mechanical means, as long as the direct manual
contribution of the artisan remains the most substantial component of the finished product.
These are produced without restriction in terms of quantity and using raw materials from
sustainable resources. The special nature of artisanal products derives from their distinctive
features, which can be utilitarian, aesthetic, artistic, creative, culturally attached,
decorative, functional, traditional, religiously and socially symbolic and significant."

Handicrafts are a part of the culture of a nation or ethnic group and represent a key
component of socio-economic life, even if handicraft activities are not fully included in
national accounts. Beyond their aesthetic and cultural dimensions, handicrafts present
several interesting socio-economic characteristics:

 The handicrafts sector is a home-based industry, which requires minimum

expenditure and infrastructure to establish. Therefore it can create jobs at a
minimal cost.
 In general this sector uses existing skills and locally available raw materials.
 Inputs required can easily be provided and product adaptation is less expensive
than investing in energy, machinery or technology.
 Income generation through producing handicrafts (which is often an important
activity in rural societies) does not disturb the cultural and social balance of either
the home or the community.
 Many agricultural and pastoral communities depend on their traditional craft skills
as an essential source of income in times of drought, lean harvests, floods or
famine. However, even in times of plenty their traditional skills in craft making are
the basis for additional income generating activities that are a natural means to
social and financial independence.

The Handicrafts Sector plays a significant & important role in the country’s economy.
Handicrafts are a part of the culture of a nation or ethnic group and represent a key
component of socio-economic life, even if handicraft activities are not fully included in
national accounts. The handicrafts sector is a home-based industry, which requires minimum
expenditure and infrastructure to establish. Therefore it can create jobs at a minimal cost. In
general this sector uses existing skills and locally available raw materials.

India is one of the major suppliers of handicrafts to the global market. Highly labour
intensive, and basically cottage based, the industry is more widespread in the rural and urban
areas. The industry provides a livelihood for more than 6 million artisans including a big share
of women artisans, and people from the weaker sections of the society. There is a good
demand for Indian handicraft products in countries such as US, Canada, France, Britain, Italy,
and Germany. Indian handicrafts are much preferred in the fashion industry. Development in
sectors like retail, real estate etc increases the demand, and gives more opportunities for
handicraft products. Emergence of e-commerce and internet has emerged as a promising
distribution channel to market and sell handicraft items.

 Scope of Crafts

Indian handicraft industry has a large, diversified, and potential market. It is equipped
with strong and diversified supportive retail infrastructure. It has an assortment of product
range due to the diversified culture prevalent in the country. The industry is further
enhanced with low capital investment, production flexibility, and cheap labor rates that
result in competitive price for its products. Handicrafts sector has fewer barriers for new
entry, and also proves to be a potential source of employment.

The Handicrafts Sector plays a significant & important role in the country's economy. It
provides employment to a vast segment of craftpersons in rural & semi urban areas and
generates substantial foreign exchange for the country, while preserving its cultural heritage.
Handicrafts have great potential, as they hold the key for sustaining not only the existing set
of millions of artisans spread over length and breadth of the country, but also for the
increasingly large number of new entrants in the crafts activity. Presently, handicrafts
contribute substantially to employment generation and exports. This sector has witnessed a
significant growth of 3 % annually. Some of the promising areas in the crafts sector during the
Xth Five Year Plan had been:
 In view of the 3% growth annually in Handicrafts sector, it is presumed that the total
employment in the sector as at the end of 10th plan is 67.70 lakhs, which at the beginning of
the 10th plan was 60.16 lakhs, showing an annual growth rate of about 3%, on the basis of this
growth in the sector it is expected this employment to reach 80 lakhs by the end of 11th Plan.
The plan expenditure during the period also witnessed a steady growth increasing from
Rs.71.65 crores in 2002-03 to Rs.220.00 crores in 2009-10. The production during the period
2002-03 has decreased from Rs.19,564.52 crores to Rs.19.375.88 crores during the year 2008-
09 although in the intervening period it had shown a rise in the graph of production in view of
increase in exports which started decreasing from the year 2006-07 due to rupee appreciation
against US $ & recession in World Economy. The exports during the period decreased from
Rs.12434.38 crores in the year 2002-03 to Rs.10,891.85 crores at the end of the year 2008-09
registering a cumulative decline 12.40%, The budget outlay for the year 2010-11 has been
proposed for Rs. 285 crores. Handicrafts activity being a State subject, its development and
promotion are the primary responsibility of every State Government. However, the Central
Government is supplementing their efforts by implementing various developmental schemes.
Efforts are being augmented during the 11th Five Year plan on the core issues for the
development of the sector in some thrust areas as mentioned below.

 Providing Infrastructural support for production & Exports

 Improve quality & product diversification with more awareness for both
stakeholders & consumer.
 A greater role for NGO as implementing partners and participation of private
resources - both human and financial.

In many developing countries, the contribution made to the economy and the export
market through artisanry is increasing as more new craftspeople, especially youth and
women, are introduced into the sector as a solution to both rural and urban unemployment.
At the same time, mass-produced goods are steadily replacing utility items of daily use made
by craftspeople, but without the concomitant capacity to be absorbed into the market. As a
result, the livelihoods of many craftspeople are put at risk. Similarly Indian Handicraft sector
has, however, suffered due to its being unorganized, with the additional constraints of lack of
education, low capital, and poor exposure to new technologies, absence of market
intelligence, and a poor institutional framework. However, it is expected that this sector will
develop because of the following reasons.
 
1. Exports continued to grow for high value-added crafts products.
2. Consumer tastes changed rapidly on account of economic liberalization.
3. Focus on quality and product diversification with increasing consumer
awareness.
4. Increasing challenge offered by availability of mass-produced competing
product lines using different raw materials (often man-made) and mechanized
production techniques.
5. Government policy envisaged a greater role for NGOs, and participation of
private resources both human & financial.

SWOT Analysis

Here is the SWOT Analysis of the Indian art and craft industry that gives you more
information on the present status of the industry;

Strengths

 Handicrafts are a part of the culture of Indian Nation or ethnic group.

 The handicrafts sector is a home-based industry.
 It requires minimum expenditure and infrastructure to establish.
 This sector uses existing skills and locally available raw materials.
 It can create jobs at a minimal cost.
 Gives potential source of employment
 This sector caters to the different market sectors covering handicrafts, textiles and
jewelries.
 It provides wide variety in each product with intricate design and exhibit diversified
culture of India.
 The industry has potential in domestic as well as international markets.
 It is a great source of foreign revenue as it is a huge export industry.
Weakness

 The sector lacks communication and infrastructure

 Conventional techniques used for production
 No proper training facility for skill development
 Industry is still confined to rural areas of the nation
 No proper awareness about crafts development
 Lack of co-ordination between Indian manufacturers-exporters and Government
 Inadequate information available on new technology
 No promotional support is given to the sector

Opportunities

 India have its own specialty in art and craft

 There is emerging demands of Indian crafts across overseas
 There is a scope for training, development and research for enhancing the value
 It can create more jobs at a minimum cost.
 Development of retail sectors and changing lifestyles offer huge requirements of such
products
 Rise in the industry is due to development in tourism
 Internet has emerged as a mean to develop its market network

Threats

 Increasing competition in domestic markets

 The artisans not used to safeguard their own interests.
 Huge products manufacturing by countries like China
 Better trade terms are offering by these countries
 Competing countries offer better technological support and R&D development
facilities
 Challenge to establish balance between demand and supply of quality products

Indian art and craft is highly appreciated and constantly flourishing in domestic and
foreign markets are due to its utilitarian nature and high acceptance among people of India
and people across the whole world. So it is essential that this sector should be developed
properly for employment generation, value addition to the existing products as well as higher
export earnings.