Developing a certification trademark for genuine Indian craft products.

The Craftmark seeks to help Indian handicrafts become more competitive in the markets by distinguishing such handicrafts from machine-made products, increasing consumer awareness of distinct handicraft traditions, and developing an instantly recognizable pan-Indian brand.

Developed entirely without grant funding, the initiative already covers many of the leading NGOs and private retailers of crafts. AIACA provides marketing assistance to non-profit and producer-owned organizations that are a part of the initiative by helping them connect to bulk buyers. AIACA also assists these groups in improving their packaging and in actually shipping the products to bulk buyers.

AIACA also prints a commercial product catalogue of the products of NGO members on an annual basis and has hired a marketing consultant in the United States to help procure bulk orders to help increase their sales of craft products. As part of this initiative, AIACA is also assisting participating producer groups to adopt and standardize business procedures related to exporting products.

For more information on the Craftmark initiative, please visit www.craftmark.org