Complete Guide to Importing Best Quality Handicrafts from India at The Best Prices Online
India as you all know is a hub for the best quality handicraft products across the entire globe. India’s rich and varied culture promotes the manufacturing and production of exquisite handicrafts from the remotest corners of every state.
Since the handicrafts industry of India is labour intensive and displays excruciating workmanship of artisans, this sector can help you earn and flourish your business if you are looking to import best quality handicrafts from India. We will provide you with the complete guide to kickstart your journey of importing handicrafts from India at the best prices online. Read this ultimate guide that helps you understand the complexities of this industry and how you can become a successful importer of Indian handicrafts and flourish your business.
List of Popular Handicraft Items of India that are Demanded World Wide
There is an immense demand for Indian handicraft products from countries like the USA, United Kingdom, Middle East countries, South Africa and the list follows. Let us now see the list of the most popular handicrafts items that are in gigantic demand all over the world.
Handicrafts from the Himalayan Belt
When the Sultanate foundation was laid by the Muslim rulers that came from Persia in the year 1320, they brought many artisans and craftsmen. Along with the artisans came the craft of kar-i-kalamdan which is now popularly known as Papier Mache in Jammu and Kashmir. These paper boxes carve a niche market for themselves in France and other parts of Europe. Apart from these paper boxes, pashmina shawls, silverware and woodworks are the famous handicrafts that are in great demand.
Art and crafts that hail from the state of Himachal Pradesh are kullu shawls, pottery works, wooden crafts and the highly acclaimed pahari paintings. These paintings depict natural scenery and flora and fauna of the state. These paintings fetch a very high amount if brought by prospective buyers. Uttarakhand also known as the land of gods preserves its rich heritage through its art and culture. Miniature paintings, wooden crafts, jewellery and inlaying works of this state attract buyers from different countries.
Handicrafts from the Northeast India
Kantha embroidery from the state of West Bengal is known for its artistic value. Kantha quilting is known to be one of the oldest forms of handicrafts practiced in India. Leather works from the state were popularised by Rabindranath Tagore during one of his visits to London and remain to be in demand till the date.
Dhokra metal casting is also very popular across the world. The best known Dhokra products are horses, elephants, measuring bowls, lamp caskets and so on. Other major attractions from Bengal include Baluchari Sarees, Tangail Sarees, etc. In Northeast India, bamboo carving is used to make several artefacts and household items like beds, chairs, chopsticks, and baskets. It is also used to make a musical instrument called sheng. The muga silk industry from Assam has been in existence since the time of the Ahom Dynasty. The peculiarity of this silk is that it is durable and becomes more lustrous with every wash. It is the first item from Assam to obtain Geographical Indication (GI) registration.
Handicrafts from the Northwest India
Phulkari textiles from the state of Punjab are very well known. A similar form of embroidery called Gulkari also exists that has similar designs like Phulkari and is very famous. Other major crafts that are demanded worldwide include clay toys, edible sugar toys, etc. Rajasthan is world renowned for its style of paintings namely Kajali, Phad, miniature and the gemstone painting.
Inlay work, one of the most attractive works of art created using marble, are exported in huge numbers from India for the interior decorating purposes. Akbar during his reign popularised miniature paintings. These paintings portray historical events and are loved by everyone. Gujarat is a major attraction of the art and crafts of India. The state produces more than 70% of the total cotton produced in India and spinning mills here are known for their superior quality. Gujarat has a long list of the handicraft treasures which include Patola, Bandhani crafts, Warli paintings, Meenakari, Rogan paintings, Sadeli art, woodworks, khadi and the leather works.
Handicrafts from the Central India
Madhya Pradesh abounds in a plethora of handicrafts. Famous handicrafts of this state include metal crafts, folk paintings, iron crafts, Bastar art, Zari and doll making. Lac products from Bihar are world renowned. India is one of the largest producers and exporters of lac. Madhubani paintings which use simple painting techniques and use raw materials like soot, turmeric, indigo, leaves of creepers and rice powder are in high demand.
The highly skilled workmanship of Uttar Pradesh is known to everyone. This state has seen rise and fall of numerous dynasties and has its own set of innumerable arts and crafts borrowing influences from myriad sources. Lucknow is the home of a delicate embroidery work called Chikankari. Chikankari designs use paisley motifs that take their inspiration from nature. Benarasi Sari is an authentic textile that comprises around 5600 thread wires, all of them within a width of 45 inches. Other works of art and crafts from this state includes glass work, marble inlay work and a lot more.
Handicrafts from the Southwest India
Paithani sarees hail from Mumbai, the financial capital of India. Many historical evidence suggests that fine Paithani sarees with delicate gold and silver thread-work were being sold in Greece in exchange for gold between 400 AND 200 BC. Some of the other well known handicrafts of the state of Maharashtra that are demanded globally include Warli paintings, Kohlapuri chappals, seashell crafts, Dhurrie weaving and metal embossing among many others. Goa is known for its pottery work and artefacts made with seashells and coconut shells. Bidri work from Karnataka is used to decorate steel objects like swords and shibboleths. Mysore paintings that display Hindu gods and goddesses are world renowned.
Handicrafts from the Southeast India
Jute bags, applique works and the palm leaf painting of the state of Odisha are highly acclaimed. Woodwork products of Andhra Pradesh include intricate fretwork objects with a rich copper finish from Udayagiri. Various styles of Kalamkari paintings like Machilapatnam, Srikalahasti and Kurrupur are demanded by customers worldwide. Vellore district of Tamil Nadu is the top exporter of finished leather goods in India. Tanjore paintings are beautiful pieces of art that are labour intensive. These paintings fetch a decent price from customers worldwide.
Online Buying Options of Indian Handicrafts
There are numerous e-commerce platforms that help you in importing handicrafts from India. Example: Craftezy – It is an online handicrafts trade platform that helps you to import handicrafts from India very conveniently. It has the largest collection of crafts from India with 100% product authenticity. Craftezy helps you buy handicrafts digitally without any hassles.
Apart from this platform there are various other online marketplace like indiamart, Globalsources.com, Global market, Tradeindia, EC21 and ExportersIndia among many others.
Advantages of Buying Online
- Buying handicrafts online assures product authenticity from the online platforms.
- Importers have the satisfaction of conducting business with trusted and verified vendors.
- Online platforms provide you with a large audience of sellers to choose from. You get an abundant variety of handicrafts which the offline process lacks. We can look out for potential sellers from all over India on these e-commerce platforms.
- The process of negotiations are done by platforms like Craftezy, Alibaba and so on which makes the process of importing handicrafts very smooth and hassle-free.
- Comparison can be made across various online platforms which can help you to choose the best quality products with best prices. This in turn helps you to keep extra margin for yourself and make more profits.
Why Should You Choose Craftezy?
Craftezy is an online handicraft trade platform that aims to make your process of importing handicrafts hassle-free. It has a very user-friendly platform that will ease your process of buying handicrafts. It provides buyers with 100% authentic and premium quality products from trusted and verified vendors. It negotiates on your behalf with the sellers you choose. Craftezy also helps in connecting you with the artisans directly in order for you to know your contribution towards empowering artisans and generating livelihood.
Steps to Buy Handicraft Products Online
Buying handicrafts from platforms like Craftezy, and others is very easy. We have mentioned the following steps below which you can follow to buy handicrafts from Craftezy:
- Visit Craftezy.com and register yourself by providing your email address.
- You can look from the Categories what you want to buy. Categories include home decor, furniture, toys, tableware, furnishings, kitchenware and a lot more. Select the product you are looking for from these categories.
- If the price quoted seems good, you can add the product to the cart. But if you want to negotiate, you can select Negotiate with Seller and make an offer.
- Go to the cart now and fill in your shipping details and then proceed to checkout.
- Pay using any of the convenient options provided. You will receive a receipt on your email address after the payment is done.
You can look out for similar products on other platforms and compare their prices to get the best deal.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which countries import handicrafts from India?
Indian handicrafts are imported across geographies with the top destinations being the United States, United Kingdom, UAE, France, Italy, Australia, Canada, Netherlands, Germany and the Latin American countries.
2. Which country has the highest demand for Indian handicrafts?
According to the Business Standard, USA tops this list with a share of about 28% in India’s total handicrafts exports followed by UAE (11%), Germany (5%), UK (5%) and the Latin American countries (5%).
3. Is the import of the Indian handicraft business profitable?
The import of the Indian handicrafts business is very profitable. It is very lucrative as it deals with significant numbers. Consumers across the world have large discretionary income to spend and handicrafts is once such an industry that attracts a huge global crowd.
