Isfahan Handicraft Home is seeking to help boost the sector by placing the focus on the aspects of the industry that have been neglected for long. Economics of art, exports promotion and training the artisans to tailor their products based on the target market's taste are among the key factors of the drive to boost handicrafts sector which have not received due attention, said an expert in the field.
According to Mohammadreza Akhlaqi, director of Isfahan Handicraft Home, the mere production of handmade artworks, even with the highest possible level of quality, does not mean that the industry could readily thrive. "We in the IHH are seeking to highlight and strengthen the long-ignored aspects and the weak points of the sector," ISNA quoted him as saying. The trade association has planned training sessions for those active in the field to educate them on methods of marketing, branding, advertising in foreign languages, in the hope of opening up new pathways toward a prospering industry, Akhlaqi said.
Essential Elements
Furthermore, he underscored the identification and study of the target market as essential elements in boosting exports. "If we don't know the target market and the preferences of customers, the whole work will sooner or later fail."
In line with efforts to establish markets overseas, Akhlaqi said delegations of handicraft exporters and advisers have been dispatched to several foreign countries for negotiations.
"France and China have so far allowed us the space where members of the handicrafts exporters' community could be based [to endorse Iranian arts internationally and monitor the hosting country's market and potential]," he added.
Isfahan Handicraft Home is active in training, production and provision of the required tools and materials, creating job opportunities and supporting entrepreneurs in the handicrafts sector. In a bid to uphold global standards in production, the IHH holds training workshops on turquoise works, Qalamkari (block-printed cotton textile) and collaborates in production of inventory art in the fashion industry, among other activities.
Isfahan, the hub of Iranian handicrafts, was named a World Crafts City in September 2015 by UNESCO's World Crafts Council. From the total of 297 types of handicrafts in Iran, 196 originate in Isfahan, creating jobs for over 40,000 people. Given the steady progress in the field, officials predict the revenue from handicrafts will hit $1 billion by the end of the Sixth Five-Year Development Plan (2016-21), with Isfahan playing a leading role.
Along with China and India, Iran is among the world's top three producers of handicrafts. Among the numerous types of handicrafts in Iran, the most well known are felts, tribal rugs, glasswork, pottery, ceramics and tiles, traditional furniture, copper and brass ornaments, woodwork (including mosaic, wood carving and inlaid), enamel work and engravings.
