National: Handlooms are a symbol of the country’s rich and varied cultural heritage, it is an important sector providing livelihood to many in rural and semi-rural parts of the country. It directly empowers women as over 70 per cent of weavers and allied workers in iTokri are female.
iTokri – India’s sustainable handicrafts and handloom store is all set to ring in India’s 76th independent day by celebrating the authenticity of the craftsmen who are the original foundation of the iTokri and have helped make the journey so far a grand success. The brand believes that artisans should be free from financial strain and should focus on the craft.
The main objective is to showcase the products, created by the artisans, on a platform that is accessible to the customers in India and as well as abroad, and also to build relationships that bring them closer to the craft-valuing customers. The artisans have the freedom to display their products independently while working elsewhere. The products are listed along with the name of the artisans, which in turn gives them a unique identity in the industry
In the 10-year-long journey, the platform has given the artisans and weavers a place to call their home! Throughout these years, the artisans have been getting direct support to maintain their livelihood in terms of their salaries. Even in uncertain times during the pandemic, they were remunerated on time and there was a proud addition of 150 new artisans to our community. All of this has helped us in creating a long-lasting relationship with them and has helped them to stand on their feet while giving them the freedom to live their life with their head held high.
iTokri thrives to become a zero-waste company by using recyclable packaging made from old newspapers and boxes made with recycled paper pulp. This has not only helped the brand conserve money but has also helped the brand be more environment-friendly. Thus, the idea of sustainability is not only helping artisans but also helping the customers in maintaining the health of the environment.
Hence, iTokri has always been the best platform for craftsmen where they are given the freedom to concentrate and enhance their skills and sell their self-labelled products to the customers.