Disclaimer – This website has been created to talk about various Indian handloom and handicraft and more importantly, provide you with the contact details of the artisans who make them. I have no commercial interest in this. Every item you see here has been purchased by the money I make as a doctor and all recommendations are made based on my personal experiences.
Bargaining
As a rule, I do not bargain with any weaver and craftsperson. (I also do not bargain with street vendors in India.) I believe in fair wages. A weaver should get paid for not just the yarns and the dyes. Unless we include the centuries-old knowledge, skills, years of practice and the many hours involved in creating the piece, it is not fair in my opinion. I would rather pay for these than for rental space in a fancy mall and air-conditioning. I have been involved with the cottage industry enough number of years to have an idea of how much items are worth. And I have never felt that I was being unjustly asked for more.
However, it is perfectly acceptable for you to bargain. I do not think any weaver or craftsperson will object or mind or refuse to participate.
Trust Issues
Unless I am visiting a handloom or handicrafts fair, I use the internet for my purchases. I contact the artisan who then shares pictures or videos with me on one of the social media platforms. There is no way for me to examine the product personally and I operate with an almost blind trust. Thankfully I have never been cheated, probably because I have been fortunate to find the right people. Sometimes the vendors send the parcel before my payment reaches their account or even before I remember to make the payment! A practice that I do not encourage.
Nowadays showcasing products in a video call has gained popularity. Feel free to request for one or demand as many pictures and videos you need. Some weavers may have reservations with sharing media as design plagiarism is unfortunately quite common. They however are happy to contact on a video call and arrange a virtual display.
Product authenticity
Most weavers and craftspersons do not own fancy cameras. Neither do they possess advanced photography skills. I do not expect them to, and I know that the original colour of the physical product may have some variation to the images that are sent to my smartphone. While I do not have any problem with it, I am strict about purchasing only hand-made items and in pure natural materials only. At first contact I make this explicitly clear. Admittedly some handloom weavers also own powerloom machines as it helps them to increase their income. But no one has ever tried to sell me machine-made products once I made my preference amply clear. For added peace of mind learn how to differentiate between handloom and powerloom fabrics.
Communication
WhatsApp is the usual mode of communication and occasionally Facebook or Instagram messengers are used. Most of them do not know English and rely on my broken Hindi for communication. Sometimes we do not have any common language and I seek help of friends to interpret. Like a Tamil speaking friend helped to communicate with the Kanjeevaram weavers.
My advice will be to speak to them in a language they can understand rather than making them uncomfortable by using only English.
Payment and delivery
I pay through bank transfer. Many artists accept Google pay and PayTM too, however as I do not live in India these are not my preferred methods. I have never asked for cash on delivery and do not expect them to operate on credit. I take a screenshot of the transaction and send it across for the craftsperson to initiate delivery process. Once item(s) is packed and parcelled, the tracking number is forwarded to me. Please note total payable amount includes delivery charge which obviously depends on the location.
Overseas deliveries understandably cost more. Also, any import duty, if needed in your destination country, has be settled by you. I have always asked my products to be delivered to my Kolkata address so I cannot comment on that cost.
Return and refund
I have never needed to return any of my items. On one occasion though, a parcel had arrived with one product missing. On examining the package, we found clear signs of tampering. This happened to us again few months later so please check your parcel at arrival. However, let this not put you off from buying. Every item that was stolen from me was replaced by the sellers. It probably is a good idea to insist on insuring items before they are mailed as we do not want anyone to incur a loss.
Artists will do a quality check before sending their creations to you. If you still find any fault, please get in touch with them. It is important to understand that any handmade item will have individual variations which make it unique and by no means are defects. Also, the colour may look slightly different from the phone images. If you are new into this and have doubts, please clarify return policy with the seller before buying.
Craftsperson identification
Handloom and handicraft are not a one-person job. They work as a team and they sell as a team. The big-ticket artists usually have family members involved in the business while others participate in co-operatives. Then there are NGOs and individuals working for the upliftment of rural population and supporting craftspersons in the process. Like everywhere else in life, there are some rotten apples in this industry too. I rely on my instinct to rule them out, and my sixth sense here is strong. I steer clear from third party internet sellers promising authentic wares. I also believe the old adage that if the price is too good to be true, it probably is!
This blog is a testimony to my love for the craft culture of my beautiful country. Every product I showcase here has been bought with my own money and directly from the artist. At the end of each blog post you will find their contact details. The images are also my own (unless otherwise mentioned). I hope you will find this helpful and together we can be a part of the revival of the great Indian handloom and handicraft industry.