Reliance Retail taps local Indian artisans

New Delhi: Reliance Retail showcased over 40,000 artisan crafted products from over 50 geographical indication (GI) clusters this festive season capitalizing on the growing consumer demand for locally made and sourced products.

In all, “Indie by AJIO” and “Swadesh”, the company’s three-year old initiatives—now engage with more than 30,000 craftsmen in India, representing over 600 art forms across clothing, textiles, handicrafts and handmade natural goods, the company said in a statement to the press on Monday.

The two brands source and retail several indigenous and traditional craft forms such as Ikat, Shibori, Banarasi, Bagh, Ajrakh, Jamdani, Tangail, Chanderi—selling a range of apparel, accessories and other products across Reliance Retail’s platforms including Ajio and Trends. The Indie range is sourced from over 50 GI crafts clusters from across India - including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. The Geographical Indication tag identifies natural produce, handicrafts or manufactured goods as products native to a territory, region or locality for their unique characteristics by attributing them to their geographical origin, the company said.

Representation of such traditional weaving, dyeing and craft forms on AJIO’s platforms also reinforces underlying consumer demand for such products, the company said.

“We are delighted that our development efforts over the last few years are now bearing strong results both in our ability to engage with an increasing number of craftsmen as well as our ability to co-create and co- curate products that are being increasingly accepted by today’s consumers,” Akhilesh Prasad, President, Reliance Fashion & Lifestyle said in a statement. “The diversity of sourcing from across the length and breadth of India has resulted not only in the creation of a stunning portfolio that is every handcraft connoisseur’s dream but also in the direct employment for over 30,000 skilled artisans across the country. We will continue to grow this segment with time,” he added.