Udaan Craft Clusters
Strengthening Communities, Preserving Traditions
At Hand for Handmade (Hand for Handmade), we work directly with artisan clusters across India to empower them through design inputs, skill-building, and sustainable market linkages.
These clusters are the heart of Hand for Handmade's mission to rejuvenate India’s handmade sector, fostering both cultural preservation and economic growth.
Kattoos – Karnataka
This group specializes in crafting miniature terracotta bricks in various shapes. Locally sourced clay is molded, dried, and fired in kilns to create these intricate bricks, which are then assembled into different forms. Kattoos combines tradition with creativity, offering a sustainable livelihood for its artisans.
Porgai Artisans Association – Tamil Nadu
Situated in the Sittilingi Valley, this group of Lambadi women has revived their traditional hand embroidery, which reflects their rich cultural heritage. Porgai, meaning “pride” in the Lambadi dialect, is now a registered group producing exquisite handcrafted textiles that honor their ancestral legacy.
Pragati Foundation – Pune, Maharashtra
Pragati Foundation empowers self-help groups (SHGs) to create handmade artificial jewelry, providing a source of income for unemployed and underprivileged youth. Their mission is to inspire and enable individuals to achieve financial independence through skill-building and craft entrepreneurship.
Kondapalli Wooden Toys – Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh
Dating back to the 16th century, Kondapalli wooden toys are made from a soft wood called Tella Poniki, sourced from the Eastern Ghats. This tradition, brought by artisans from Rajasthan, faces modern challenges due to the prevalence of mass-produced toys. Hand for Handmade supports these artisans with skill development, design innovation, and new market linkages.
Natural Fibre, Asama Enterprise – Dibrugarh, Assam
Born during the pandemic, Asama Enterprise brings together local weavers to craft products using water hyacinth, cane, and bamboo. This initiative promotes sustainable basketry and offers artisans a reliable source of livelihood, making Alimur Village a hub of eco-friendly crafts
Special Hands of Kashmir – Gotapora Budgam, Jammu and Kashmir
Founded in 2010, Special Hands of Kashmir (SHK) works with 40 artisans, including 15 differently-abled individuals, skilled in traditional Kashmiri embroidery. Using woolen fabrics sourced from Ladakh, this group combines heritage with empowerment, creating products that preserve the essence of Kashmiri craftsmanship.
