“Artisans are the souls of Indian culture”
Shilpkriti is on a mission to create the largest community of rural artisans in India.
Having a design background, Sandeep Mohanty always had an affinity to the handicraft society. What started out as an interest in arts. Sandeep’s passion has now turned into a Shilpkriti, a flourishing eCommerce business that promotes traditional artists and their works.
Shilpkriti is growing as a brand that connects rural artisans to the rest of India. Standing for authentic art and a community that is struggling for a livelihood, the brand is not only a platform for selling handicrafts, but also brings out the journey of each products’ creation.
We at Instamojo are glad to be part of their journey as their eCommerce platform that takes their handmade products to customers across India.
“We are happy that we could start our business online in short span of time, thanks to Instamojo.”
Shilpkriti is proof of how eCommerce can transform your business and connect you to a wider audience. If you’re someone who has been holding back from following your passion, it’s time to take a leap of faith and start your own business online by signing up on Instamojo for free.
Strengthening the artisan community
Sandeep got the idea of starting a business that supports local artisans while he was recovering from Covid, back in September 2020. Just like other non-essential retailers, the pandemic badly hit craftsmen. It had brought a downfall of the entire productive and financial machinery bringing the entire craft ecosystem to a halt.
The brand name Shilpkriti was inspired by the image of Lord Kriti (Shiva) and Creation. This metaphorically reflects the spirit of authenticity and masterful creation of what the brand stands for.
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Sandeep identified that traditional Indian handicrafts were not getting the attention they deserved. Also, the market is full of unauthentic replicas of handicrafts sold at cheaper rates. And, the expert craftspeople were away in rural areas, with no access to modern business facilities. He was also concerned that many of them gave up their craft because of the struggle to make a livelihood out of it.
Ultimately, he launched Shilpkriti as an initiative to provide a digital platform to the rural artisans which have the potential to get worldwide recognition. They help indigenous community to get revenue without having to search for a physical shop to sell their products.
A mission for the well being of Indian handicrafts
The handmade products business in India is not getting the spotlight it deserves. Shilpkriti aims to create the largest community of rural artisans and revive handicrafts business.
“Our team goes to villages to find artisans. We explain to them about our business model and check their products. So, we trace back the uniqueness of each product to its place.”
Initially, the brand focused on helping artisans in Orissa. Right now, Shilpkriti has a strong community of more than 300 artisans across different states. Inspiring artisans to continue with their crafts, they are now a flourishing business.
They want to promote the authenticity of handicrafts and make the more accessible to people across India. The founder believes that artisanal products are more than just show pieces and can be used daily.
Starting their online journey with Instamojo
Shilpkriti took their business online right from the beginning. But the eCommerce platform the initial store was developed on, came with its own complexities and the difficulty to scale easily.
Around this time, the team was introduced to Instamojo as an alternative. In the founder’s own words, “We found the Instamojo platform easy-to-use and took a lot of burden from us, we could easily set it up and start selling online quickly.”
“We found the Instamojo platform easy-to-use and took a lot of burden from us. We could easily set it up and start selling online quickly.”
– Sandeep Mohanty, founder Shilpkriti
With the help of Instamojo’s eCommerce platform, Sandeep and the team was able to set up an online store to not just showcase the products created by artisans, but also connect them to customers faster. Today, their handmade products are bought by consumers all over India through a well created eCommerce website, www.shilpkritiindia.com
Apart an online store, Shilpkriti also uses Instamojo app to generate sales. Also, they make use of the marketing features available on the platform for campaigns.
Scaling further
On asked what advice would he give to a handicrafts business that’s just starting out, he says, “this is a business with low profit margins. So be sure to do your research properly before entering the market. If you have a good vision, you will sustain.”
Shilpkriti has touched the lives of many artisans and is planning to continue doing so. The team will take more craftworkers across different states, under their cluster and build the community.
To support Shilpkriti and their initiatives to bring forward the work of rural artisans, visit their store today: www.shilpkritiindia.com
Ready to monetise your craft skills by selling products online? Get started on Instamojo and take the first step towards your dream!
