India is a country that has a rich tradition and heritage, but often in the quest to live a modern life, we often tend to flout our roots. To preserve our ancient knowledge and its deep-rooted wisdom, “allmyCraft” is a social enterprise that is committed to working towards transforming traditional craft into everyday useful products. This brand has found immense popularity with urbanites, corporates, and people who have a discerning taste for all things desi. Aditi Gupta, Co-Founder, allmyCraft speaks to us about the brand’s journey and vision.
A qualified chartered accountant, Aditi has served the banking sector for more than 13 years of her life. She believes that artificial intelligence is incomplete without emotional intelligence. She is currently learning the nuances of ancient Indian script “tākri” (sometimes called “tankri”) – a writing system of the Brahmic family of scripts. This synergy of aptitudes speaks for her ability to keep up with the times while holding on to her roots. In keeping with this philosophy, allmyCraft has successfully managed to bridge the gap between rural artisan and urban shoppers, through its portal allmyCraft.com.
The portal is an attempt to showcase, promote and sell expressive designs which tell a story that appeals to urban sensibilities, and yet is rooted in tradition. An enterprise-focused on transforming traditional craft into everyday useful products, allmyCraft is a hub where ancient wisdom meets contemporary ideas.
About Rural and traditional artisans
Rural and traditional artisans are more skilled and passionate than commercial workers. Empowering these artisans to create products and utilities that match contemporary market needs, allmyCraft handholds them and converts their craft into lifestyle goods, which suit the modern-day functionality and aesthetics.
“We approach rural artisans who are experts in handicrafts but lack modern trading or business sensibilities. We are all about tradition; our makers are traditional (artisans), our designs are based on traditional values and wisdom. We preserve the messages and stories through these products that help people know, relate and connect with the brand as they use these products in their everyday life.”
Aditi Gupta Business Growth
The brand is growing under the able mentorship of banking ace and former National Head, Prashant Priyadarshi, who is currently managing a SEBI registered private fund. But a self-taught artist, he loves exploring nature and the world of mythology and philosophy. This wide knowledge, experience and insight, motivated him to contribute towards preserving Indian heritage. Team allmyCraft is furthering this vision.
So, why handicrafts? Despite achieving success in the corporate world, Aditi felt something was missing in her life. She was keen to find purpose and meaning; she had observed that most of her peers were not deeply connected to their roots. And unaware of their ancestors, culture, traditions, and origins. However, merely, propounding knowledge would not have much impact unless it would become a part of everyday life! Handicrafts are the perfect way to infuse tradition seamlessly into people’s way of living. And that’s how allmyCraft was born, with the vision to transform traditional craft into creative everyday utilities.
The journey from visualization to actualization
It took the team around 18 months to make the journey from visualization to actualization. But the challenge was training artists to create up-market products and understanding traditional craft and processes, without impairing the core values of that craft.
Another important learning in the process was undertaking in-depth traditional craft, styles and creating collections which have meaningful messages and story behind them. This element not only provides distinct design influences but also makes these products objects of desire.
The Delhi-based company offers bags, wallets, healing décor items, organizers, cosmic crafts (yantra, mandala), tantra paintings, murals, and sculptures (clay, PoP, bronze, fiber, mix mediums), gifts, and souvenirs. It has also expanded the range to include leather products (veg. tanned), wood (carving and engraving), grass (sikki and madur), fabric (sujni), colors (water, oil, acrylic, poster, enamel, and mix), and more.
allmyCraft has both, a B2B and a B2C business model. Because constant efforts are made to explore traditional wisdom, values. So, beliefs and can be translated into background designs and motifs for their products. Because the platform well documents all their designs, inherent knowledge, and importance as per ancient values.
Mission
The mission is to create an ecosystem where traditional artisans and contemporary designers can create functional utilities having cultural values. Simultaneously they are focused on building robust technology platforms to give market access to artisans’ products. And building a strong customer base to fulfill their marketing needs. As Aditi says, “Connecting urban to their roots and making them aware of their tradition and heritage before they buy is our focus.”
The company faces challenges both upstream and downstream of its business. The first is making the urban population believe in the wisdom of ancient heritage. Because the science behind every custom, a tradition that followed by the ancestors and its relevance. On the other hand, they also face challenges in convincing the artisans who are masters in their craft. But to understand and work towards the improvement of their aesthetics to make it more marketable and acceptable by the urban.
The boldest decision they came across in this venture was transforming the first craft and waiting for 18 months to kickstart the business. While making it a point to scale up entirely through their own funds without any external funding.
Her advice to budding entrepreneurs to have conviction, perseverance, and assessment of whatever they lay their hands on.
| Business Name | Allmycraft.com |
| Headquarter | New Delhi |
| Sector/Industry | Traditional Craft Transformation |
| Founders | Aditi Gupta, Prashant Priyadarshi |
| Contact Detail Phone | 8700419694 |
| info@allmyCraft.com |
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