United Artisans of Kutch (UAK) is a dream team of local artisans of Kutch, Gujarat. This collaboration of like-minded, free spirited, creative, generous contributors and promoters believe in making small but positive changes in the world. We are united by our love and respect for the people of Kutch and together we are investing our skills, knowledge, time and money as well as sharing our ideas and contacts. :-)
Kutch is the home of some of the world's most incredible, traditional textiles & handicrafts. Many of these crafts have been practiced by local communities for hundreds of years and have evolved over time. Recently there has been renewed appreciation for handmade, hand printed, naturally dyed items which have become fashionable and trendy and with more discussion of the need for sustainable and responsible tourism, many have come to appreciate the value of supporting small businesses and directly supporting the craftspeople.
Kutch came into the spotlight after the devastating earthquake of 2001. Thanks to the support of several Non Government Organisations, some local arts and craft makers were provided with assistance to develop and promote their crafts. The NGOs promoted these arts and crafts to national and international markets and as a result some of the local artisans now operate very successful businesses. Sadly, however, there are still some artisans who are not recognised, are out of the reach of visitors (potential customers) and are not provided with the necessary support to reach their potential. Others are not able to understand the basics of business or the complexities of the commercial world. Very often, visitors (potential buyers) are drawn to big businesses, organisations, brands or labels, leaving many artisans without the support and the recognition they deserve.
Each of these artisans has a common dream: "To design and create their products and sell direct to customers".
"UAK" is a unique platform that recognises these lesser known artisan families and promotes them to the world.
Thanks again to UAK supporters, promoters and contributors, who have made this possible by contributing their time, knowledge, skill, money and positive energy to the project and helping these artisans achieve their dreams :)
To learn more about these Artisans, check out tab "Artisans"
For any other inquiry please email us at unitedartisansofkutch@gmail.com
Be The Change : Our purpose is not only to sell directly to the customers, but also to share our history, culture, lifestyle, circumstances, an understanding of the time consuming handcraft techniques and the materials we use, the social and economical challenges we face, how we are dealing with them and how we're growing together.
Made with Love : Handwoven products are far more appealing than machine made. It's all about "Human Touch".
