KOCHI: There is something about handcrafted products that make them unique. India’s traditional art and craft have a rich history — one that is largely unidentified and under- appreciated. From fabric, metalwork and woodwork to jewellery and pottery, our country is home to many varieties of crafts and artisans who solely depend on them for a living.
The advent of mass-produced fast-fashion dealt these artisans a big blow. More people started opting for cheaper factory-made items. “There is a need to uplift these traditional arts and crafts, and ensure they are not lost to us. Sustainable brands from across India that revive and explore alternative lifestyles need to be promoted,” says Ranjini Achuthan, influencer and curator of Fanfare The Bazaar — a forum that curates sustainable crafts and products from across the country — which is organising Yellow India Bazaar in Kochi this weekend.
“This is a comeback event for us after the pandemic. Over the past two years, artisans around the country have been suffering. Their business has been on a decline. Mass-produced fashion and crafts are being preferred because they are cheaper. It is time we think about ways to improve the livelihood of these artisans. This is why, Fanfare The Bazaar is bringing down over 30 brands that focus on sustainable, handcrafted products this time,” says Ranjini.
She highlights that lack of access to technology is a major issue haunting artisans. “The digital divide became very evident during the Covid time. Technology transformation has been especially hard for many of them. So this time, we will also focus on community-based ventures like Amounee and The India Craft House,” she says.
Amounee, a digital market space founded by designer Megha Das in Gujarat, works to connect artisans directly with the urban market, offering them 100 per cent transparency and fair wages. India Craft House is also a digital platform that has been enabling local artisans to sell online for over a decade. The collective works with over 320 Indian artisans directly and over 2,000 indirectly.
“The pandemic intensified our process,” says Sona Puri, the co-founder and director of The India Craft Village. “Most of these local, native artisans used to survive on exhibitions. The pandemic deprived them of that opportunity. Many of them left their stocks with us because they were afraid they had no means to sell them. We are working to create a circle of demand for their goods now.” Sona has been seeking to expand to Kerala’s artisans too, collaborating with them and providing them with international exposure. “Kerala’s handlooms and murals are famous,” she adds.
A list of other eclectic ventures to look out for at Yellow India Bazaar include Lippen Art Studio, an exclusive store for all Lippen products. Lippen clay art, which hails from Gujarat, is a lesser-known craft done by the village women in Kutch. Another brand to check out is Green Collective, a north Indian brand that sources 100% locally-made, sustainable home decor items made of cane, water hyacinth, moonj and varieties of grass directly from artisans.
The Little Village, a sustainable and healthy store and café from Hyderabad would also be at the exhibition with an array of organic goods, mostly from brands based in Auroville, Pondicherry. Another top pick in the lineup of eco-conscious brands is Aishwarya Ravichandran’s AISHR, a clothing brand that makes gender-fluid, organic fabric printed with biodegradable dyes.