1. The Indian handicrafts industry provides employment to over 23 million people and is the second largest employment sector in India after agriculture. 2. Key exports include metalware, woodware, textiles, carpets, bamboo products, and jewelry. The industry saw exports of $4.5 billion in 2014-15, a 15.4% increase over the previous year. 3. The Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) was established in 1986-87 to provide support to the industry including market research, facilitating exports, and interacting with government.

3.  Handicrafts commonly refer to handmade
crafts or artisanry. Skilled people create
varied types of items starting from consumer
goods to decorative pieces out of paper,
wood, clay, shells, rock, stone, metal, etc.
with the help of simple tools. These kinds of
items are called handicrafts owing to the
fact that these crafted items are solely
handmade without the usage of any machine.

4.  India’s rich cultural diversity and heritage provides a
unique and huge resource for developing craft products.
 Handicrafts industry is one of the important segment of
decentralized sector in India.
 According to the national census of handicrafts,
undertaken by the National Council for Applied Economic
Research the value of handicrafts produced last year were
of Rs.26,213 Crore.
 Provides huge employment opportunities to artisans that
include women and people belonging to backward and
weaker society (6 million artisans).
 The Indian Handicraft Industry is a $100 billion industry
worldwide.
 India’s contribution in world market is 1.2%
 The total exports of crafts items: - Rs. 13412.92 Crore.
 Industry’s share in India's exports:- 1.51 %

5. EMPLOYMENT
 6.8 Million (2013-014 Approximately)
 Female Artisans – 49.4 %
HANDICRAFTS EXPORTS
US$ 3481.14 Million 2012-13
Average growth: 22.72%.in the last 5 years

6.  India is a manufacturing hub of varied kinds of handicrafts,
which are popular even in international markets.
 Metal ware
 Wood ware
 Hand printed textiles,
 Embroidered goods & Shawls
 Carpets
 Bamboo products
 Jwellary
 Paintings
 Jute products,
 Marble Sculpture
 Bronze Sculpture,
 Leather Products

7.  The hard form of bronze,
which is usually used to make
bells, is referred as bell metal.
This kind of hard alloy is used
to make crafts like vermilion
boxes, bowls, candle stands,
donari (pendants) and many
more. This bell metal crafts are
mostly prevalent in Madhya
Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and
Manipur. In Madhya Pradesh,
this form of handicraft is even
regarded as "tribal craft".
 Bells & Chimes, Candle
Holders, Candle Sconces,
Fireplace, Flower Vases,
Jewelry Boxes, utensils. Etc.

8.  It originated in the state of
Odisha, the bone and horn
handicrafts are famous for
creating birds and animal
figures, which seem real
and alive. Besides, goods
like pen stands, ornaments,
cigarette cases, table
lamps, pepper and salt sets,
chess sets, napkin rings,
laughing Buddha etc. are
prepared in Odisha,
Karnataka, Kerala and Uttar
Pradesh.

9.  Durability of brass items adds to the
fame of brassware. Items made of
brass like crawling Krishna, Lord
Ganesha's figure in different
postures, vases, table tops,
perforated lamps, ornament boxes,
hukkas, toys,glasses, plates, fruit
bowls and many more are extensively
used in many Indian houses till now.
These artisans are famously known as
"Kansaris". The manufacturing of
brassware is mainly done in
Rajasthan.

10.  With its origination during the
Indus Valley Civilization, clay craft
or pottery is said to be one of the
most primitive forms of handicrafts
in India. People engaged in pottery
are called "Kumhaars". Besides its
world famous Terracotta form,
pottery has got different forms like
red ware, grey ware and black
ware. Uttar Pradesh is known for
its painted black wares. Besides,
Krishnanagar in West Bengal,
Bikaner, Lucknow, Pune and
Himachal Pradesh even prepare
clay ware. Items like clay pots,
decorative items, jewellery, etc.
are widely used all over the
country.

11.  Dhokra, the oldest form
of handicraft is known for
its traditional simplicity.
This tribal handicraft
originated in Madhya
Pradesh. The other states
involved in the making of
such handicrafts are West
Bengal, Bihar and Odisha.
Dhokra is famous for its
unique items portraying
folk characters. Dhokra
jewellery, candle stands,
pen stands, ash trays and
varied kinds of showpieces
are available at every
handicraft shop.

12.  Jute craftsmen have created
a worldwide niche in the
field of jute handicrafts. The
huge range of jute crafts
includes bags, office
stationeries, bangles and
other jewellery, footwear,
wall-hangings and many
more. West Bengal, Assam
and Bihar, being the leading
jute producers, lead the jute
handicrafts market in India.

13.  Vibrant coloured papers are
combined together to form
varied crafts like kites, masks,
decorative flowers, lamp
shades, puppets, hand fans etc.
Papier Mache, developed in the
Mughal Era is even a famous
form of paper handicraft in
India. This craft industry is
mainly located in Delhi, Rajgir,
Patna, Gaya, Awadh,
Ahmedabad, and Allahabad.
Besides that, paper crafters are
found on the outskirts of almost
every major town.

14.  Weaving mainly refers to
the process of cloth
production by two thread
sets known as weft and
warp crossed with each
other. This traditional form
of handicraft is mostly
found in the states of
Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh
and Rajasthan. Bandhanis,
the famous form of
weaving, are created in
Jamnagar and Rajkot. Bihar
and Karnataka are known
for their embroidery work.

15.  Wood craft is prevalent in India
even before the time stone
sculpture came into existence.
Varied goods are created by the
skilled craftsmen by shaping a
piece of wood. Gujarat, Jammu
& Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala
and Uttar Pradesh are known for
their unique form of woodwork.
Axes, toys, utensils, decorative
pieces, jewellery and many
more designer household goods
like lamp shades, candle stands,
vermillion boxes, jewellery
boxes, bangle holders etc. are
some of the common wood
crafts used in almost every
Indian house.

16.  Anklets, Armlets, Bangles,
Bracelets, Brooches,
Chokers, Cufflings,
Earrings, Necklaces, Pearls,
Pendants, Rings, Toe Rings
are the things made in the
jewellary field
 The jewellry making is
famous in Delhi,
Moradabad, Sambhal,
Jaipur, Kohima (Tribal)

17. 1. Industry is playing a major role in the
development of Indian economy.
2. As per the latest updates, there are more than 23
million craftspeople in India today engaged in the
growth of Indian handicrafts industry.
3. Second largest employment sector in India, just
after Agriculture.
4. 63% of exports turnover
5. The industry is spread allover the country mainly
in rural and urban areas.
6. Most of the manufacturingunits are located in
rural and small towns, and there is huge market
potential inall Indian cities and abroad.

18. 7. The Indian Handicraft Industry is showing
continuous growth rate of 20%every year.
Handicrafts industry is one of the important
segments of decentralize sector in India.
8. According to the national census of
handicrafts, undertaken by the National
Council for Applied Economic Research the
value of handicrafts produced last
year were of Rs.26,213 Crore.
9. The Indian Handicraft Industry is a $100
billion industry worldwide.
10. India’s contribution in world market is 1.2%.
11. The total exports of crafts items: - Rs.
13412.92 Crore.
12. Industry’s share in India's exports:- 1.51 %

19.  A non-profit organization, established under
the EXIM policy of Government of India in the
year 1986-87.
 Under the aegis of Development
Commissioner (Handicrafts),
Ministry of Textiles, Government
of India
 Website: www.epch.in

20.  Providing commercially useful information and assistance to members in developing
and increasing exports.
 Offering professional advice and services to members in areas of technology
upgradation, quality and design improvement, standards and specifications, product
development, innovation etc.
 Organizing visits of delegation of its members abroad to explore overseas market
opportunities.
 Organizing & Participating in specialized International Trade Fairs of handicrafts &
gifts.
 Interaction between exporting community and Govt. both at the Central and State
level and representation in almost all the committees / panels of Central and State
and represents in almost all the committees / panels of Central and State.
 To create an environment of awareness through Workshops on "Export Marketing,
Procedures and Documentation", Packaging, Design Development, Buyer Seller
Meet, Open House etc. interaction with Central and State Govt. and various other
similar programmes.
 Dissemination of government notification, orders, information on trade and other
relevant information to members.

21.  In 2014–15, Indian handicrafts exports stood at US$
4.5 billion, up approximately 15.4 per cent over the
previous year’s exports. Exports of Indian handicrafts
have increased at around 16.4 per cent since 2008–
09.
 Indian handicrafts are exported across geographies,
with the top 10 destinations being the US, the UK,
the UAE, Germany, France, Latin American countries
(LAC), Italy, the Netherlands, Canada and Australia.
 The US alone accounted for approximately 26.1 per
cent of India’s total handicraft exports in 2014–15. It
was followed by the EU, which accounted for
approximately 24.7 per cent.
 The UAE was the third-largest importer of Indian
handicrafts, with imports worth US$ 410 million in
2014–15.

23.  As Indian Handicraft Industry contributes very important
role in Indian economy. Hence For the proper functioning
and operation of industry govt. has made some policies
and regulation. In India, the Ministry Of Textile is
responsible for the formulation of policy, planning,
development, export promotion and regulation of the
Handicraft Industry. Some policies & rules are as follows:
1. There are no restrictions regarding location for
establishing manufacturing units.
2. All producers of handicrafts are exempt from
obtaining Industrial License to manufacture.
3. The delicenced undertakings, however, are required to
file an Industrial Entrepreneur Memoranda (IEM) in Part
'A' with the Secretariat of Industrial Assistance (SIA),
and obtain an acknowledgment.