Clusters are defined as geographic concentrations of producing units, businesses and institutions that are mutually interconnected and often complementary in their offerings, so enabling a good balance between competition and cooperation.(1) Craft clusters are a concept best known in connection with Indian heritage crafts. Here, craft clusters refer to mostly rural concentrations of households that produce handmade products, often drawing on long-standing local crafts traditions.(2) The aim of government, NGO and other institutional support of craft clusters through developmental programs is to both preserve the unique character of local heritage craft traditions and to boost employment and economic opportunities in areas that rely on craft production as the main source of income.(2-4) While heritage crafts products globally face constant competition from cheaper, mass-manufactured items, ensuring their competitiveness on the grounds of cultural value, skilled labor and unique aesthetics that cannot be reproduced by a machine, is vital for promoting diversity and sensitivity to multiple forms of cultural and economic expression.(5,6)
CRAFT CLUSTERS
