There’s hardly a household in India that has not been touched by the Handicraft/ Handloom industry. The study of the Indian handicraft industry will take you on a historic voyage of 5000 years. Archaeologists have found evidence of handmade artifacts in the Indus Valley Civilization. Apart from pottery, terracotta, jewellery, and weaving, historians have also established that ancient Indians had a strong interest in paintings.
Post-Maurya and during the Gupta era, the number of
handicraft manufacturers kept growing with the focus areas being handloom, leather products, woodcarving, sculpture, etc.
The industry further flourished during the medieval period and the British rule as India emerged as a major exporting nation.
The Modern Scenario
The thriving handicraft industry employs more than 7 million people in the country. The primary produces include shawls, carpets, glassware, imitation jewellery, attar, embroidered items, handprinted garments, art-metal products, and more.
During 2021-22 India exported handicraft products worth $4.35 billion, over 25% growth from the previous year.
The United States accounts for about 38% of the total handicraft exports from India. Other major countries are Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Japan, Italy, and more.