Cool Canes Documentation

Cool Canes Project

AKANKSHA APTE

in July 2015. ŠAkanksha Apte. All rights reserved. No part of this project and book may be used or reproduced in any form without prior permission.

Contents Introduction

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Process Pictures

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Project Proposal

8

Product Costing

63

Golden circle framework

9

Stakeholder map

97

Baseline Research

12

98

Market Research

20

Business Model Canvas and breakdown

Customer Research

27

Blue Ocean Strategy

102

Customer Needs

38

Business strategy and Implementation

103

Material Explorations

39

Reflections

106

Sketches and Prototyping

44

Resources

107

Products

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Introduction The Crafts sector in India is the second largest rural income sector of the country after agriculture with about 40 million rural artisans. The crafts of India are rich and diverse.

Through the centuries, crafts have been a link between a culture and tradition within rural communities. They have been valued throughout time and their existence today proves that efforts have been put into their preservation.

However, rising costs of materials and supplies today have placed many craft communities in a financial struggle. With advancement of organized retail and rapidly growing cities, the gap between artisan and market has widened. Artisans in remote villages are not aware of what the consumer demands and aspires for.

Through my years in Srishti I have been exposed to various craft techniques and I have had a deep understanding about its sectors. I chose to work on this project to learn, understand and get a larger perspective to design. I also believe in the bigger ‘why’ of the project which is sustainability, to preserve craft, use their skills, enhance the artisans incomes, build and give back their deserved dignity and respect.

The most intriguing part of the craft sector to me is that the majority of the materials used in these traditional crafts are ecologically sustainable. These skills and techniques have been passed down through generations with little change

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and most of the crafts that haven’t become industrialized are still being practiced in a slow and highly skilled manner.

Craft is a part of the heritage and as modernization creeps in even to the most remote parts of the country, these age old practices are slowly starting to die out. There must be a way to help them evolve to ensure their survival and to restore value in these crafts again.

One such craft practiced in the north-eastern regions of West Bengal is mat weaving. This region has a cane variant called Sital Patti growing abundantly in wastelands. Sital Patti means “cool” reed, a kind of mat which is perhaps the most notable and popular product among the handicrafts of Cooch Behar. This project focuses on ‘Cooch Behar’ which is a district in the north-eastern region of West Bengal. For a long time people across West Bengal have been using these woven mats as sleeping mats, even now referred to as “air conditioned” mats. Today cheap plastic imports have reduced the market of these artisans. A fresh take on the products in the market is the only way forward.

Cooch Behar district Location: Cooch Behar lies between: 25 57’47” to 26 36’2” North latitude 89 54’35” to 88 47’44” East longitude.

Bounded by: • The district of Jalpaiguri in the north • State of Assam in the east and • The international border in the form of Indo-Bangladesh boundary in the south and in the west.

Area: 800 km2 (300 sq mi) Population 2011: 106,760 people Density: 130/km2 (350/sq mi) Language: Bengali and English

Scientific name: Schumannianthus dichotomus

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Project Proposal Scenario

Currently the SC and ST community artisans that are in question have no knowledge and skill of the craft. They need to be trained in cane splitting, mat weaving and 3D weaving.

They are currently earning a living by doing odd jobs.

This project is in its second cycle and has completed one year.

In the last cycle, Industree Foundation has conducted a training program in which 100 artisans were trained in flat mat weaving techniques, dying and a few 3D explorations were done. 60 artisans out of the 100 showed keen interest and were formed into 4 SHG’s. These 4 SHGs will form the nucleus of the new producer owned company.

Organization partners: • WB SCST Finance Development Corporation • Confederation of Indian Industries, Eastern Region (CII) • Industree Foundation • Industree Skills Transform

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Golden Circle Framework

Why

These three concentric circles from the inside out, represent Why, How and What was aimed at achieving through this project.

According to Simon Sinek, the author of ‘Start with Why’ it is most important to identify one’s reason doing something, or the Why. This is then followed by the How and finally the What, or the final product.

Why Objective

How What

To create a dignified sustainable livelihood opportunity for the Sital Pati artisans of Cooch Behar by giving their craft a contemporary expression therefore bring about a social, cultural and economical change in their lives.

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How • Baseline Surveys • Target market research • Customer interviews • Customer surveys • Developing a sustainable business model canvas • Design • Material Exploration • Product Development • Build prototypes • Product costing • Market validation • Trainings/Workshops (Design) • Marketing • Documentation

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What • To understand the process with which an artisan is inspired to create new designs, usually there are only a few who are untrained that naturally have a knack to create new products.

• Find/create ways to bridge gap, awareness/exposure.

• Assess the community’s strengths and traditional livelihood to jointly develop a sustainable industry based on their traditional artistry.

• Design and develop products based on their traditional arts and locally available materials.

• Train in quality and production to ensure consistency.

• Train in business and marketing.

• Connect with luxury markets and designers.

• Exhibit and sell collections and traditional goods through multiple channels.

• Organising and conducting skill training programmes.

• To Increase the average income of the artisans (SCST) per month from Rs 2300 to Rs 4500.

• To empower the tribal women in the region.

• To focus on the manufacturing and marketing of Sital Patti.

• To bridge the gap between the artisan and the customer.

• To create awareness about various welfare schemes and financial literacy.

Learning outcomes • To understand craft communities and how they work.

• To understand the importance of research before setting goals.

• To learn how to get a perspective on a market.

• To create an business model and update it according to new insights.

• To understand the groundwork behind forming a business/ company.

• To learn to be empathetic.

• To understand the values of a company and communicate them intrinsically through its activities.

• To learn how to carry out a final plan that reflects my growth as a designer in terms of experimentation, exploration, understanding, skill, execution.

• To understand the constraints of time, money & material.

• To understand the factors that make a business a social enterprise.

• To learn how to understand people’s goals and aspirations and grow in my understanding of potential markets.

• To improve on my ability to achieve goals that have been set and learn how to let go of unsuccessful iterations.

• To be learn how to tackle unforeseen challenges as they come.

• To apply systems thinking to wicked social problems.

• To understand business and learn to design a business.

• To use tools of design thinking and business strategy in a real life situation.

• To learn how to be able to build an impact enterprise.

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Baseline Research Field Visit

Ghughumari Village Population

13764 of which 7019 are males while 6745 are females according to census 2011

People

Migrants from Bangladesh Originally from Ghughumari

Occupation

Men- Sital patti harvest and splitting Women- Sital patti weaving

Caste

Schedule Caste(SC) constitutes 27.38 % of total population in Ghughumari village.

The rest belong to the OBC and general category.

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The Process

1.The well grown Sital Patti is cut using a sickle, traditionally called Dao.

2. Segregating the stem and branches.

3.The stems are then spliced into multiple pieces using a splicing tool.

4.The removal of pith takes place and the are split into fine strips of Buka patti and Sital patti. Each piece gives two strips of Buka patti and one of Sital Patti.

5.The fine strands of sital patti are soaked in rice water overnight and then boiled for 2-3 hours the next day. Boiling gives ivory colour to the strips.

6.The strips are then rinsed and dried in the sun for 3-4 hours.

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Raw Material The costing of mats as per the artisans, done based on the raw material and the labour cost for its extraction.

Since the whole family is involved in the making of the mat, the labour cost of weaving the mat is not taken into much consideration.

Sital Pati light colour

Bhushnai Pati Current Pricing of mats: Raw material

Sital Pati natural color

Boka Pati

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Dala Pati

Cost /kg in INR

Mat Cost (5’x7’) in INR

Local Markets

These mats are also seen in the Cooch Behar local market.

The craftsmen sell their mats in the local haat every Monday and Thursday to the traders who then sell it in the cities.

The mats also sell in local exhibitions that happen around the year. Bhushnai Patti and Kamal kosh mats are made on special orders.

Some craftsmen have a tie up with Sital Patti bag manufacturers. They sell the mats to them as well. The bags are made of Sital Patti and coloured rexene. The value addition items like rexene, inner lining, hooks, etc. are sourced from Kolkata. These bags are then sold at wholesale prices to retailers in Assam, Kolkata and other cities.

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Current Scenario Artisans and issues that need to be tackled • The SHG’s formed after the training program are immobile at present due to non availability of orders.

• There is a huge rivalry between the skilled and the unskilled artisans. The skilled artisans refuse to help in anyway.

• DRDC Cooch behar is taking an initiative to bring the skilled and unskilled artisans under one roof by creating an activity cluster. Their aim is to make these artisans produce in bulk.

The skilled artisans are unhappy being a part of this cluster.

• The artisans who were a part of the training program are complaining that the training program was of no use to them and they did not benefit from it at all.

• The pricing of the mats and 3D products is done based on the raw material cost over the weaving cost, even then the artisans waste 30-40% of the material while making products.

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• The Artisans work only for 6 hours in a day.

• The artisans like to work with Sital Patti and Bhushnai • Patti because they consider it to be a rich material with more strength.

• Boka Patti is a material they consider cheap and of less worth.

• Boka Patti is a coarse material and therefore takes more time to weave. For them its not worth the effort.

• Not everyone can weave Bhushnai Patti Mats. It requires the most amount of skill and time to weave.

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Size - 13754 people live in Ghughumari village according to census 2014 - Mostly Joint families - Very few Nuclear families

Schools - Two schools till 8th grade in the village - High school in town about 2-3 km away - Degree college in main Cooch Behar - Presently education is gaining importance - Most people are mainly educated till 8th grade

The Community

Facilities - Houses have Mud floors; 2 out of 10 houses have cement flooring.

- Toilets: Very few houses have a toilet and sanitation facility - Govt. support: The Govt. arranges for various training programmes for the artisans - Water: Local pond where they wash clothes, utensils and they use hand pump water for drinking and cooking.

- Electricity is always available apart from a few power cuts (not very frequent).

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Baseline Research

Medical - Very few local clinics - Hospitals in Cooch Behar main city - More pharmacies compared to clinics - No Medical Insurances - For serious treatments the people prefer to go to Chennai & Bangalore

Livelihood and Income - Agriculture: banana, paddy, jute, sital pati and corn.

- Craft: Sital pati mat weaving.

- Work time: Throughout the year - Income/month: Rs 2300 average, wages range depending on the quality of skill; from below Rs 100 to Rs 300 per day per day.

Ownership - Cell phones with prepaid connection - Television with cable connection - Majority Cycles and bike for transport in the village.

- Some households have cattle

The Artisans

Market and Resources

Material - Mutra cane is the source of sital pati - It is harvested throughout the year - The shelf life is very long. The artisans store the material in their house.

- The material catches dust and black spots but it is washable - Other materials for value addition are sourced from the main cooch behar markets.

Products - Mostly different variety of mats are woven. Very few people make 3D products.

- Price of the mats depend on size and quality.

- Time taken to weave a 6x4 feet mat is 1.5 days.

- Chemical dyes are used to dye the Sital Pati since dying using natural colors is a tedious job and they are not aware of it.- The Artisans sell their products in the local market to the traders which is further sold in the city.

- They also sell the products in the local haat or exhibitions.

- There are small sewing units who buy mats from a few families and use them in producing personal accessory products.

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Market Research Product possibilities Living Room

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Bed Room

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Dining Room

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While conducting the market research I looked at various brands and stores. Tools such as Cumulative matrices and competitive analysis helped me to personally compare stores on the basis of craft, natural fibre section and various other parameters.

Cumulative Matrices

Comparison between Quality and design

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Comparison between pricing and production

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Competitive Analysis

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Market Size Calculations Piano Tuner Method This involves a back-of-the-envelope calculation based on a series of estimations backed by some real numbers.

Indian Households who will buy home furnishings/accessories According to census 2001, Total no of households in India = 1.9 x 100000000 Percentage of Upper Middle class and Rich households

= 3%

Total number of Households in the Upper Middle and Rich Bracket = 5.7 x 1000000 Price Range of products = Rs. 500 - Rs. 3,000 (Taking the average price of all the products to be Rs. 1000.

Pricing has been allocated as per studies of the home accessory sections in stores such as FabIndia, Mother Earth and Lifestyle)

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Assumption: Average life of our products = 3 years 1/3th of UM- R households will buy our products in year 1 = 1.9 x 1000000 Households Market Size in 2015 x (Average Price of all the products) = 1.9 x 1000000 x 1000 = 1.9 Billion INR • (census 2001: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of_households) • (http://www.kkr.com/company/insights/global-macro-trends-13.This bracket earns above 5,00,000 per annum)

Customer Research Customer Surveys Door-to-door Interviews I interviewed 10 residents of Bangalore. Through these interviews I found out about the their shopping habits and their way of living. I realised there is a good difference in going to a persons house and interviewing them verses interviewing a person else where. Door-to-door interviews allows you to see these responses actually reflect in their homes.

I also was able to observe and document the use of different products, find gaps and pain points that I could venture into through my product design.

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Types of Buyers

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Don’t buy natural fibre products often. Why?

Pain Points faced by customers

• Require High maintenance

• Kids room’s play mats and storage

• Bulky in appearance

• Sitting on the floor is uncomfortable

• Cannot be cleaned easily

• Multiple mats of various sizes are required for different uses

• Not available everywhere • Rarely have contemporary aesthetics and design • Dust gets accumulated easily • Rough texture • Expensive

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•lack of similarity across various mats in one house • Storing large mats in the house is a pain point These are the points that came out of the ten door-to-door interviews. As the number of people I interviewed were limited, I needed to validate if these pain points stand true across more number of people. In order to do so I conducted an online survey and the results were similar.

Persona 1

Persona Suman, IT professional Age: 32 Location: Pune Her mother looks after her 2 year old child, while she is at work. Her husband is an IT professional in another company.

The family is well-off and they like to splurge on luxury products for their home.

Shops at: Pepperfry, Fab India, Westside, weekend flea markets, buys organic products.

“We are surrounded by too many toxic substances”

Pain Points: • As a working mother it is hard to keep tabs on her child’s playing habits.

• Unlike before, there aren’t many utilitarian products available she finds aesthetic.

Needs: • Less clutter and easy storage.

• Low maintenance products.

Influencers: • Health and Interests of Children • Magazines: Elle Decor India, Good Homes

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Persona 2 Arnav, Just finished his Masters Age: 25 Location: Delhi He has just returned from abroad after his studies. He will soon be joining his father in his business. He has recently gained interest in working with NGOs and helping society with voluntary work.

Shops at: Good Earth, northface, Amazon, Flipcart, Fab India

“I want to live in harmony with nature”

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Pain Points: • Handicraft products usually lack functionality and are too traditional.

Needs: • Hand-crafted contemporary designs.

Influencers: • Friends, social media • Magazines: Business Today, GQ

Age Bracket

Survey Results

What kind of house do you live in?

City you live in • Bangalore • Nagpur • Nashik • Pune • Mumbai • Delhi • Sangli • Raipur

• Kolding, Denmark • Hamburg, Germany • Oslo, Norway • Breuillet, France • Halifax, Nova Scotia • Milan, Italy • Milpitas, California

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How often do you shop for home accessories?

Do you shop for natural fibre home accessories?

Where do you shop for home accessories?

Do you keep extra sitting mats at home for emergency purposes?

Which rooms do you use a carpet/rug in?

What activities do you use mats for?

Which rooms do you use mats in?

Which material of floor coverings do you prefer?

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How do you clean them?

Where do you store the floor coverings when not in use?

• Storage room • Cabinets • Under the bed/furniture • Rolled up/Folded in corner of the room • Loft/Attic • Always in use • In balcony

How often do you clean them?

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What colour floor coverings would you prefer to use at home?

Would you prefer using multi-functional mats?

Are you aware of harmful effects of various materials?

Would you use cushiony or flat floor seating mats?

What is it that would make floor coverings more useful to you?

• Multi-purpose • Easy maintenance • Foldable • Easy/convenient to store • Storage unit • Easy to clean • Better quality • Comfortable • Mats would be useful in all means • Light weight • Soft

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Customer Needs • Foldable/innovative storage mat designs.

• Kids rooms play mats and storage.

• Comfort in a mat.

• During summers, the carpets are rolled up and stored aside. Not many summer mat options exist in market. So scope for using the cooling property of material.

• Multiple mats of various sizes are required for different uses and there is a lack of similarity across various mats in one house. So, Need/possibility for integrating sizes, functions and asthetics in a mat.

• Products that fit in a contemporary environment.

• Multi purpose mats.

• Easy maintenance and user friendly.

• Easy Storage mats.

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• Value add to existing mats through design and contemporise them for urban homes.

• Mats are something that the artisans know to weave. So why not make it more valuable and they can start producing them right away. Hence instant increase in income.

Material explorations Frame loom cotton warp and Wire weave exploration

Desktop loom cotton warp

Double weave

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Thin wire on the edge

GI wire on the edge

Folding exploration

Wire weaving in mat

Stitching exploration

Spray paint (Front - Back)

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Open weave

Transparency

Food Colour (red)

Dying Explorations

Direct Dye (red)

Cool Dye (red)

Food Colour (green)

Natural Dye Sanded Sital Pati

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Weaving Patterns

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Lace Weaves

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Initial Sketches

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Edging Explorations

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Products Chair Back Cushion

Top View

Front View

Back View

This design incorporates elastic bands which make the chair back cushion a easy to use product.

Material Used: • Blue Cotton silk synthetic fabric for the border • Foam 19 ILD density • Elastic • Sital pati • Spun bond non woven fabric for inner lining of the mat Dimensions: 16”x16”x1”

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Initial Prototype pictures Prototype had sharp edges and ties. After further iterations the changes made: • Curved edges for safety and to avoid breakage.

• Fabric changed to give a rich look to the product.

• Ties replaced by elastic to avoid unwanted untying. This made it easy to use.

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Foldable Mat Open View The sital pati mats usually come in a rolled up form and they have to be sprinkled with water and dried in sun for them to flatten. This procedure still leaves the mat with curved edges and corners. With this design, the mat stores flat and takes care of the rolling and curling of the corners.

Materials used:

Folded View

• Jute fabric with laminate backing • Cotton synthetic fabric • Pattern weaving boka pati • Elastic • Foam sheet (16”*22”) for mat 4 pieces Dimensions: 22”x65”

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Play and Store Mat General Purpose mat Open View

Mats are generally not in use every day in a house and when not in use they are generally stored away. This design can be used as storage as well as a mat.

Materials used: • Lenin cotton fabric • Cotton fabric for lid • Card board 2mm sheet • Foam sheet (22”*22”) • Sponge foam (22”*22”) • Sital pati and Boka pati • Elastic • Wooden buttons

Folded View

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Dimensions: 20”x20”x11” when boxed 42”x42” when flat Folded View

Concept 1: Play and Store mat

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Concept 2: Multi-purpose mat

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Detachable Mats Various Shapes Square

Tessellation inspired mats that can be attached in various ways forming a variety of shapes giving a room a new look every time. These pieces when separate can be used for various purposes at home like door mat, floor seating mats etc.

Materials used: • Cotton synthetic fabric • Crape cotton fabric • Boka pati pattern woven mat • Sital pati mat • Spun bond non woven fabric for inner lining of the mats • Magnets • Foam sheet Dimensions: 18”x18”

Parallelogram

Triangle

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Connections Explorations

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Possible shapes with 3 mats

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Closed view

Open mat view

Product 5: Floor Seating Extra seating mats are a need in every household and storing them is a major issue. This design allows storage while in use.

1 side woven

1 side small woven detail

3D woven

2 side woven front and back view

Materials used: • Foam sheet for mat • Foam 40 ILD density • Spun bond non woven fabric • 3D woven Sital pati • Cushion mat set with one side woven • Pattern weaving Sital and Boka pati Fabrics: • Cotton synthetic • Cotton jute • Lenin cotton • Cotton silk synthetic Dimensions: Cushions: 18”x18”x2” Mat: 18”x 62”

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Initial Prototype The initial prototype had flat mats with a square shaped covering and shibori dyed fabric was used for the edges. Through the survey I found that people look for comfort in a mat. Hence, I have incorporated that in the final design.

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Process pictures

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Product Validation Survey Validation of perceived value of products Age Bracket

Please specify the name of brand/store where you shop for floor seating/mats/carpets/rugs/cushions • Mother Earth • Spar • Fab India • Home stop • Home centre • Big Bazaar • Westside • Wallmart Which shops/brand could you imagine buying the above products from?

City you live in • Bangalore • Indore • Nashik • Pune • Hyderabad • Sangli • Jaipur

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• Nagpur • Raipur • Mumbai • Lyon, France • Chennai • Kolding, Denmark •Milpitas, California

• Mother Earth • Home town • Fab India • Home stop • Home centre • Pepper fry • Ikea • Wallmart

• Ekbote • Flipcart • Jute Cottage • Cottage Industry • Exhibitions like Dastakar

Would you buy the above products online?

• Welhome • Flipcart • Bombay store • Central Cottage Industry

How much would you pay for the foldable mat?

Amount in INR No. of responses 300-400 400-500 500-600 600-700 700-800 800-900 900-1000 1000-1500 1500-2000 2000-2500

5 8 5 6 5 4 9 8 3 5

How much would you pay for the chair back cushion?

How much would you pay for the Detachable mat? (Single piece)

Amount in INR 50-100 100-200 200-300 300-400 400-500 500-600 600-700 700-800 800-900 900-1000

Amount in INR 300-400 400-500 500-600 600-700 700-800 800-900 900-1000 1000-1500 1500-2000 2000-2500

No. of responses 2 5 8 10 9 7 1 3 1 2

No. of responses 9 4 6 7 3 2 3 9 3 3

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Product Costing Unit Costing consists of fixed costs, material cost and processing cost.

Fixed Costs remain the same for all products. (These fixed costs are based on assumptions) Material cost and processing cost vary from product to product.

Break even analysis is done to determine when the product sales will start generating posivite profits.

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Product 1 - Chair Back Cushion Material sheet

Processing sheet

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Unit Costing

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Break even analysis

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Product 2: Foldable mat Material sheet

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Processing sheet

Unit Costing

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Break even analysis

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Product 3 - Play and store mat

Material sheet

Processing sheet

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Unit Costing

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Break even analysis

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Product 4 -Detachable mats Square Material sheet

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Processing sheet

Unit Costing

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Break even analysis

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Red Diamond Material sheet

Processing sheet

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Unit Costing

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Break even analysis

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Blue Diamond Material sheet

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Processing sheet

Unit Costing

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Break even analysis

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Product 5: Floor Seating 1 side woven cushion mat set Material sheet

Processing sheet

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Unit Costing

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Break even analysis

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3D woven cushion mat set Material sheet

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Processing sheet

Unit Costing

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Break even analysis

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2 side woven cushion mat set Material sheet

Processing sheet

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Unit Costing

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Break even analysis

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1 side small woven cushion mat set Material sheet

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Processing sheet

Unit Costing

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Break even analysis

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Profit amounts for each product

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Stakeholder map

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Blue Ocean Strategy

This strategy helps in trying to find customers which are not your product customers. Target the persons that are not and create persona of them. The blue ocean strategy shows how to align the three strategy propositions – value, profit, and people – to ensure your organization is aligned around your new strategy and that it creates a win for buyers, the company and for employees and stakeholders.

It works on three step cycle: • Reconstruct market boundaries, • Reach beyond existing demand, and • Break the value/cost trade-off ( value , cost)

Value Curve Analysis

This graph represents Offering levels and Competing factors. In this graph I have compared Sital Pati material with plastic and other natural fibres.

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Key Partners

Key Activities

• Confederation of Indian Institute (CII) • West Bengal SCST development Finance • Industree Craft Foundation • Fabrication units

Business Model Canvas

Cost Structure • Raw material -Boka pati -Sital pati • Tools -Splitting tools -Weaving tools -Fabricating tools -Sewing machine

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•Harvesting Sital •Organising Pati canes /Conducting •Material training processing •Product Design •Extraction and Development (Splitting) Product •Drying manufacturing •Dying •Marketing •Awareness building

• Salary • Artisan Training • Storage Rent (Warehouse) • Transport • Product manufacturing • Taxes • Marketing • Packaging

Key Resources • Sital Pati Canes • Sital Pati strips • Boka pati strips • Fabric • Tools

Customer Relations • Open craft cluster to visitation.

• Signature Labels to inform customers about the artisan.

• Artisan • Tailors • Logistics • Working capital

Value Propositions • Traditional feel to contemporary design • Value add by materials and craft • Quality

• Made by artisans • Cost effective • Durable

Revenue Streams • Direct Sales (Shop) • Wholesale • Grants

• Funding • Donations • Exhibitions

Channels •Retail stores • Wholesalers • Exhibitions •E-Commerce • Local markets

Customer Segments Core: • Urban couples(both working/ one working) - Age Bracket(35-50 Yrs.) -House Income(10 Lakhs and above p.a.)

-Who like a mix of contemporary and traditional designs.

-Desire to play a role in sustainable development.

Occasional: -Students and bachelors living away from home.

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BMC Breakdown According to Business Model Generation “A business model describes the rationale of how an organization creates, delivers and captures value. The business model is like a blue print for a strategy to be implemented through organizational structure, processes and systems.”

The business model canvas is collaboration of 9 factors which are essential to run a sustainable business. These factors are interdependent entities which interact and collaborate with each other. This business model canvas was helpful to decide what kind of business was to be designed, for whom, and how.

Value Proposition Value proposition is about what values a company wants to provide to its customer. These values also determine how the company can be different than its competitors.

Our company’s value proposition gives a chance to our customers to play an active role in sustainable development by assuring them that their purchase brings profit to the craft community. Our company also aims at combining traditional craft with great design to create contemporary products.

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The following are our propositions: •Traditional feel to • Quality contemporary design • Made by artisans • Value add by materials and • Cost effective craft • Durable

Customer segments The customer segments are based on the online surveys and market research. Our ideal/dream customer: • Appreciates creativity and sees value in hand-crafted products.

• Desires to play a role in sustainable development.

Initially, all the types of people who maybe interested to buy our products were listed down. Finally a decision had to be made on who was to be the target.

Our customer segments are split into the core buyers and Occasional buyers.

Core: • Urban couples (both working/one working) - Age Bracket(35-50 Yrs.) -House Income(10 Lakhs and above p.a.)

-Who like a mix of contemporary and traditional designs.

-Desire to play a role in suitable development Occasional: • Students and bachelors who are living away from home.

Channels

Customer Relations

Value propositions are delivered to customers through communication, distribution, and sales Channels.

Determining where it is most likely that the company/brand will confront the customer, by being able to predict where a majority of them will pass through at a certain point of time.

The business depends on the customers. Customer relationships are to be established and maintained with each Customer Segment.

If we are to say that our customer segments consists of people who want to help in sustainability development, the customer needs to be informed about who has made the product and where it is coming from. Signature Labels and social networking sites can be used to inform customers about the artisan.

Another activity that will help in connecting the artisans to the customers would be to open up the community to responsible customers.

Retail Store: (@home, Mother Earth, Designer Boutiques, Home stop, Home Centre) E-commerce: (Flipcart, Amazon, giskaa.com, Just for Decor) Exhibitions: (Dastakar, Handicraft Exhibitions, Expo)

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Business strategy and Implementation (Activities) Research and Business Model Development

Infrastructure

• Craft research • Business Model Development • Market research • Material experimentation and explorations • Initial Prototyping

• Put together team to work on separate components of the project.

• Arranging training, production unit and system • Skill enhancement through more specialized training.

• Procuring work tools and equipment.

Market Validation

Production

• Validate the costing and perceived values of products.

• Validate demand-interact with potential customers.

• Brand development and validation.

• Validate business model

• Develop quality control standards, improve methods, standardize quality to create uniform products • Train quality control personnel

Training and Development

Packaging and marketing

• Re-organization of SHGs. • Introduction and advance training on Splitting, processing and weaving.

• Training to work with more materials and techniques (e.g.. Fabrication and stitching)

• Continue participating in exhibitions • Develop network & create partnerships • Develop an online presence (website/social media) • Create a public awareness campaign about lost craft and its revival

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Phase 1:

Phase 2:

1. Branding and validation

1. Artisans would be skilled in mat weaving.

Issues tackled: Having a brand opens up more channels rather than approaching a brand to sell the products.

Next level of training.

2. Second phase of training for SCST artisans Skills: Skilled level of flat mat weaving, dying, basic stitching and fabrication.

Products that can be made after this training: Foldable mat, Chair back cushion

Skills: Pattern weaving and 3D weaving.

Products that can be made after this training: Play and store mat, Floor seating set and detachable mats.

2. Packaging of products.

3. More channels need to be worked out.

3. SHGs to be up and running.

4. Packaging of these two products.

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Future Possibility I see loom weaving as a future possibility.

Setting up a weaving unit would take investment and skill training. Moreover, a new range of products through this technique need to be designed.

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Reflection I have always enjoyed working with new communities and gaining new experiences and knowledge about their lives.

This time around it was no different. We stayed with the artisans in their houses and living with them gave me a better understanding about the new culture and the community.

This project has given me a good foundation and direction that I would have never been able to attain if I hadn’t been guided through this process. I am thankful for this opportunity to learn about what goes on behind the scenes and am grateful to those who took the time and effort to guide me through this.

I hadn’t foreseen the amount of research that goes behind setting up a business and at times lost my motivation but my ever growing interest in learning new things kept me going. There was no better time to learn this.

The various frameworks such as the golden circle, blue ocean strategy, idea diffusion curve, market size calculation, unit costings and business model canvas helped me a lot in gaining a better understanding of businesses.

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Resources Books:

• The Purple Cow

by Seth Godin • Business Model Generation

by Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur • Handmade in India

by Aditi Ranjan & M P Ranjan • Creative Confidence

by Tom Kelley & David Kelley • Made to Stick

by Chip Heath & Dan Heath

Videos:

• Simon Sinek - How Great Leaders Inspire Action - Law of Diffussion of Innovation - Golden Circle essence

Information:

Interaction with experts: • Entrepreneurs, environmental experts and Business experts • Impact Edge Lab, Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology • Information collected by Industree Foundation

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Websites:

• www.creativeconfidence.com • http://www.slideshare.net/Managewell/personas-34655305?related=2 • http://www.slideshare.net/duckofdoom/consumers-insights • http://servicedesigntools.org/ • http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-02-06/ news/28424975_1_middle-class-households-applied-economic-research • https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/what-is-blue-oceanstrategy/ • http://coochbehar.nic.in/htmfiles/Handicrafts.html • http://www.craftandartisans.com/shital-pati-cool-matweaving.html • http://mea.gov.in/in-focus-article.htm?24717/Indias+Intangible+Cultural+Heritage+A+Civilisational+Legacy+To+The+World • http://www.craftrevival.org/CraftArt.asp?CountryCode=India&CraftCode=001419 • http://www.thehindu.com/biz/2003/06/30/stories/2003063000010300.htm • http://cab.org.in/Lists/Knowledge%20Bank/Attachments/2/ Producer%20Company%20Model.pdf • http://www.mca.gov.in/Ministry/pdf/Producer_Company. pdf

I am grateful to these graceful young women who made it all happen.

Sonamuni

Gulabi

Lipika

Sapna

Pinki

Rasmoni

Anjali

Prabhati

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Acknowledgement I would like to thank Jacob Mathews, Ritu Sonalika, Naga Nandini Das Gupta, Kumar KJ for their patience, tolerance and guidance.

During the time we were in Cooch Behar, the unfortunate earthquake took place in Nepal and since Cooch Behar wasn’t very far away, I experienced my very first high altitude earthquake. I was about to give up and return home but thanks to the community, Disha and Mr Mervin Joseph for the moral support that kept me going.

Huge thank you to my new artisan friends in Cooch Behar.

I want to thank Mr Mervin Joseph for helping me brain storm about the fabrication techniques and helping me with the artisans in greencraft. I also want to thank the artisans of greencraft who helped me fabricate some of the products. I have learnt a lot from them.

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A huge thank you to my parents and Varsha Divate for helping me immensely, with unwavering support and for being there for me always. There is no way I could have ever done it with out them.

I want to thank my friends Anmol Srivastava, Gauri and Radhika Divate for keeping me in check, providing valuable feedback and for being there to support me through the ups and downs. Anwesha Chakraborty for helping me with editing the book.

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Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology Cool Canes Project Documentation Designed by : ŠAkanksha Apte