Vocal for Local. It is not just a hashtag. It is a way of life. It is a step closer to a self-reliant and sustainable country.

As the international logistics have been disturbed, many of the international players and brands that supplied the world with garments, accessories, home furnishings etc are caught in distress. This is the best time Indians too should be tempted to ‘Buy Local, Buy Indian’ as those international brands become less easily available. But do you know what happens once you start to buy local? It creates more opportunities. You may say, sure, more artisans are employed but it goes beyond that. We are here to tell you just that. Following are the opportunities that switching to handicrafts will create for the economy:

1. Partnerships — This is a great opportunities for professionals to come together and work in partnerships. People who have the knowhow of presentation, photography, content, and human resources can make this significantly contribute towards making this happen. Think of a unified, newly crafted portal dedicated to handicraft. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

2. Architectural crafts — It is a good time for architectural crafts to make a comeback. With a rise in the Instagram culture, people are always looking to make their houses picture perfect — with everything from chic blinds and cane to wall finishes to woodwork. This can also be an opportunity for the hotel industry to provide an irresistible and unique experience which perfectly captures the Indian culture.

3. Product interventions — As people begin to put emphasis on the products made in India, artisans will need design interventions and product development to be on top of the game. This could be another area where collaboration will work wonders. The interventions in partnership with local communities and designers will help the artisans identify the contemporary designs and viable markets for their products rather than making things at random and hoping to randomly find a market.

4. Packaging — We have millions of skilled hands who have their unique artistic skills. All over India, women embroiderers are involved in making masks, PPE outfits and gloves. As synthetic, stainless steel and glass surfaces have been found to carry the virus for longer, it is a great opportunity for artisans who are working in paper, brass, fibre, wood and resin for the purpose of packaging. It could prove to be an area of huge growth in the industry.

The ambit of the opportunities stretch beyond the four pointers mentioned above. The pandemic has changed the way the world will be looking at the globalized economies. Nations all over the globe are re-configuring the way they do business by shifting to self-sufficiency and import substitution. It is time to redefine our choices and the ways we consume. And we need to do that today!