India is a country with kaleidoscopic variety and beautiful cultural heritage. The country is a bag of varied experiences of climate, geography, culture, art and food. The diversity of India reflects in the local art and craft of every region
Alika is the Most Beautiful
‘Alika’ means “The most beautiful”, and we believe this is the apt word to describe the craft of India. Our products are a reflection of Indian culture and practices which vary from region to region. Every region’s practice is unique to its people, inspired by the climate, vegetation and materials dominant in the specific region. The people develop their skills and make their livelihood inspired by their environment.
Our Motivation
Our business started as a passion for ethnic art and craft. As we travelled the villages of India, the more we realized the hidden potential of our artisans. They are immensely talented in their craft. The products made by these artisans are so beautiful and mesmeric that we wanted to share it with the world through our platform.
We identified and engaged with artisans who specifically worked with leather. Our artisans are spread across India, and their craft is unique to their state/place of origin. The leather work practiced by artisans of Bengal to make a bag is very different from that of Gujarat. Similarly, the leather craft practiced by artisans of Tamil Nadu is very different from the artisans of Gujarat.
Each product reflects the uniqueness of their skill making the products special and unique. For them their art is a means of communication to the world. It’s inspired by their traditional folklore and rituals. The crafts and practices have been passed down across generations of artisan communities, making it an embodiment of India’s rich heritage.
Challenges faced by our country's local artisans
A majority of artisans located in the interiors of India face a huge challenge when connecting with the external world and do not have access to the right platform to showcase their craft. There are several reasons that impact their visibility like illiteracy, lack of technical knowhow when it comes to digital media which gives access to larger audience and then limited means of access to potential markets. The above reasons encourage us to travel and connect with these artisans at individual level to onboard them on to our platform.
Alika as a platform for Leather Crafts
Our mission is to provide the leather artisans of India with a platform that is based on the principles of fair trade. Our artisans set the price we pay. The three key pillars which drive us towards our vision is Sustainability, Craftsmanship and Quality.
India is known to be “Incredible” for its vibrant colors, magnificent history and rich heritage. “Alika” is a homage to our nation’s traditional handmade crafts which is inspired from its diversity and uniqueness.