Article Technology Boosts Artisan Economy
While many of us are vacationing during this time of year, we don’t have to trek further than our living room to buy souvenirs from foreign places.
By Susie Steckner / 16 Jul 2016
By Susie Steckner / 16 Jul 2016
Think custom rugs from weavers in a remote Moroccan village. Coffee tables crafted from salvaged avocado tree trunks in Guatemala. Fair trade cotton scarves made in Thailand. Intricate folk art paintings from India.
Buyers can browse everything from jewelry to home décor, picking up one-of-a-kind, handcrafted goods in an increasingly mass-produced, machine-made world.
They can also make deeper connections with artists creating the goods they are purchasing. Online business may feature artists’ Kickstarter campaigns, video stories about artists’ lives, and even the tools of the craft for creating items like a woven basket, or silver and stone necklace.
At the same time, buyers’ purchases are creating jobs, promoting sustainability and driving economies in developing countries.
The artisan sector worldwide is seeing dramatic growth. International trade in artisan goods more than doubled between 2002 and 2012, totaling more than $32 billion annually, according to the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise. In fact, the artisan sector is the second largest employer in the developing world.
Last year, the U.S. Department of State convened a forum aimed at expanding the potential of artisan enterprises globally. Tech will play a vital role in achieving that goal.
Consider Novica, the oldest online business working with the sector.
Since 1999, Novica has been connecting online customers with wood carvers, weavers, sculptors and other artists around the world. What began as a fledgling adventure with 200 artisan groups has grown into a multi-faceted operation that has sent more than $67 million to artisans worldwide.
Technology is enabling even more online businesses to showcase artisan goods and foster economic success. Here’s a look at four other businesses bringing the world to you:
If you can’t afford an international airline ticket — or even a domestic flight — to paradise, perhaps you can splurge on a one-of-a-kind creation. At the same time, you’ll support the artisan, as well as feel a little less jealous of those who are jetting off to a relaxing place.
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