projects

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Craft Village was the lead implementing agency for the Water Hyacinth Design & Craft Innovation Project incubated at ABCD (Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design), Red Fort, New Delhi in collaboration with IGNCA and the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. The project aimed to transform water hyacinth — one of the world’s most invasive aquatic weeds — into a high-value, sustainable craft material, creating new livelihoods while restoring fragile ecosystems.

Working with artisan clusters from Assam and the North East, Craft Village led a design-driven revival of water hyacinth by developing new raw-material processes, weaving, braiding, fabric and board applications, and modular construction systems Final Document. Artisans from diverse backgrounds — weaving, furniture making, basketry, woodwork, and grass crafts — were trained to create contemporary products for the global market, including lighting systems, floor tiles, furniture, stools, planters, couches, water-hyacinth boards and fabrics.

 Craft Village, as a National Entity committed to the promotion and preservation of crafts, played a pivotal role in conceptualizing and shaping the 1st World Craft Forum—an unprecedented global confluence of craft excellence and cultural exchange. Organized by World Crafts Council, Development Commissioner Handicrafts, EPCH in association with British Council, UNESCO the event has helped shaped global policy for Craft Sector.  The Forum brought together representatives, master artisans, craft scholars, policymakers, and institutional leaders from over 25 nations. Craft Village’s leadership and strategic coordination were instrumental in curating this landmark event, which served not only as a platform for celebrating craftsmanship but also for discussing the future of crafts in the context of sustainability, innovation, and global collaboration.  From planning high-level roundtables and thematic sessions to designing exhibitions, masterclasses, and showcasing living traditions, Craft Village ensured the Forum became a vibrant and inclusive space for dialogue, learning, and recognition of the intangible cultural heritage across continents. Its involvement reflects a deep-rooted commitment to positioning India as a global center for craft diplomacy and cultural leadership. 

 Craft Village played a pivotal role in driving the craft-and-design integration that inspired TITAN’s Jalsa timepiece under its luxury Nebula line, bringing traditional Indian miniature painting into haute horology. In 2019, Craft Village hosted a foundational design workshop where the entire TITAN design team, led by Prof. Somesh Singh, Sundeep Kumar, and craft master Shakir Ali, underwent immersive training in craft sensibilities and miniature techniques. This two-day program established the methodology for embedding artisan craft into high-end product design — demonstrating how corporate-artisan partnerships can create premium, culturally meaningful products and open new revenue streams through royalty-aligned collaborations.  

 Beyond the creation of a single product line, the Jalsa initiative became a benchmark model for how craft, design, and industry can work together at a strategic level. The collaboration demonstrated how artisans can be embedded into corporate design processes from concept to execution, enabling brands to create culturally rooted products while ensuring fair compensation, recognition, and long-term engagement for craft masters. This approach, pioneered through Craft Village, now serves as a replicable framework for future artisan–industry co-creation, licensing, and royalty-based partnerships across the luxury, lifestyle, and design sectors.