India’s crafts are as diverse as the communities that sustain them. From Ajrak in Kutch and Banarasi weaving in Mubarakpur to Bandhani in Bhuj, Leheriya in Jaipur, Mashru in Patan, Pochampally Ikat in Telangana, Bhujodi weaving, Bagru hand block printing, Appliqué in Barmer, Kantha in West Bengal, and Sohrai and Madhubani art in Jharkhand, each tradition carries its own language of place, skill and memory.
Yet, through our conversations with the artisans we work with across these craft communities, a common set of concerns began to emerge.
One of the most pressing is the growing presence of machine made and printed imitations. Handmade textiles often take days, weeks or even months to create, yet they are increasingly expected to compete with products that can be produced faster and sold for less. When consumers cannot distinguish between the two, the skill and labour behind authentic craft can become invisible.
Artisans also spoke about the challenges within the value chain. Middlemen and long supply chains can mean that the person who spends the most time creating a piece receives the smallest share of its final value. At the same time, uncertain incomes are making it harder for younger generations to see traditional crafts as sustainable livelihoods. The concern is not simply that a craft may disappear, but that the knowledge carried by families and communities may disappear with it.
Government support exists, but access remains uneven. Artisans spoke of limited awareness, complex processes, delayed documentation and the need for stronger guidance at the grassroots.
But our conversations were not only about what needs to change. They were also full of ideas for the way forward.
Artisans spoke about the importance of helping consumers understand the time, skill and knowledge behind handmade work. They emphasised stronger direct connections between makers and buyers through exhibitions, markets and digital platforms. They called for simpler access to existing government support, alongside practical training in branding, pricing, digital literacy and entrepreneurship.
They also reminded us to look beyond the finished textile and recognise the many hands behind it, particularly the women whose often unseen labour sustains entire craft ecosystems.
For us at Mirasi, these conversations reinforced something we deeply believe: preserving craft is not only about preserving an object or technique. It is about strengthening the communities that carry that knowledge forward. When artisans can earn fairly, access markets, build new skills and pass their knowledge on with confidence, tradition does not simply survive. It continues to evolve.
And perhaps that is the real way forward for Indian craft is not just stopping after looking back at heritage, but creating the conditions for it to have a future.