Indiahandmade, a digital marketplace created by the Digital India Corporation under the Ministry of Textiles, is transforming opportunities for India’s handloom and handicraft communities by connecting artisans directly with buyers across the country. Launched in 2023, the platform aims to provide a stronger digital presence for traditional creators while promoting India’s rich cultural heritage and supporting inclusive economic growth.
The online marketplace features a wide variety of handmade products, including Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged items and products developed under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative. By allowing artisans and weavers to showcase their work directly to customers, Indiahandmade helps reduce dependence on middlemen, improve product visibility, and create new income opportunities through digital commerce.
India has an estimated 6.46 million handloom and handicraft artisans, with women representing a significant share of the workforce. According to available data, women make up 71% of handloom weavers and 64% of the overall artisan community as of August 2025. Platforms like Indiahandmade are helping these skilled creators participate more actively in the digital economy while supporting women’s financial independence and rural livelihoods.
The platform offers a simplified registration process for artisans, weavers, and producer organizations. Small sellers and first-time entrepreneurs can join the marketplace using an Enrolment ID for intra-state sales even without GST registration, making digital participation easier for a wider group of traditional craft producers.
Indiahandmade features multiple product categories, including clothing, home décor, furniture, paintings, jewellery, bags, footwear, furnishings, and musical instruments. It also highlights distinctive regional crafts such as Banarasi silk, Chanderi silk, Tussar silk, Ikat, Tangail sarees, Aipan artwork, Pashmina shawls, and Dokra creations, giving these heritage products greater national exposure.
For customers, the platform provides secure payment options, purchase protection, free shipping, and access to authentic handmade products. Several artisan success stories, including Santarms, Dastkar Craft, and Villages Craft, showcase how digital platforms are helping traditional businesses expand their reach while preserving generations-old skills.
With an ambitious goal of bringing more than 6 million artisans onto the platform, Indiahandmade is expected to play an important role in strengthening India’s craft ecosystem. By combining technology with traditional craftsmanship, the initiative aims to support rural communities, encourage entrepreneurship, empower women artisans, and increase global recognition for India’s handmade products.
