By Yeshi Seli. Assistant Editor, Business India

When the pandemic led to a complete lockdown, one sector that feared losing out forever was the handicrafts one. Artisans felt that people would not consider buying from them, as theirs wasnot considered a priority sector.However, companies like Direct Create helped them overcome their fears and, though the demand for handicrafts isn’t as high as it would otherwise have been, it has kept craftsmen busy.

“In November, one of the artisans associated with us got an order for making customised copper bottles for a client in Canada,” elaborates Sheela Lunkad, who founded the company in 2015, Jaipur, along with her husband Rajeev. “Within 10 days, the consignment was made ready and shipped out. Every little order is helping these days.”When they set up their company, they had got Rs50 lakh funding from Rajasthan Venture Capitalist Fund (RVCF) in exchange for a 2 per cent stake.

Direct Create is a digital creative platform, connecting craftsmen to a global network of designers and buyers to collaborate and co-create handcrafted products. “We set up this company as a collaborative, which works only in the handicrafts sector,” says Sheela Lunkad. “We have worked with 15,000 artisans across the country,out of which 2,500 are registered with us. We also have 1,500 designers registered with us.”The company recorded a Rs20 crore turnover in the last financial year, she adds.

The company involves itself in ceramic, glass, textile, leather, wood, jewellery, stone and metal crafts. Both Sheela and Rajeev Lunkad have studied architecture. While Sheela moved on to designing the interiors of Fab India stores, Rajeev helped in the restoration of the Jal Mahal in Jaipur. After having worked with artisans in their respective work space, the couple decided to set up a company that could encourage local craftsmen get in touch with buyers.

“The most important thing for an artist is to stay connected with his art,” explains Mohammad Tahir, a craftsman.“Covid had literally brought us on the road. However, after I got in touch with Direct Create, my products became visible on a digital platform, as a result of which I am getting orders from within the country and even overseas.”

“We are optimistic that things will pick up next year,” Sheela adds.“At the same time, we hope the youth of our country will learn to appreciate and patronise craftsmen. We began as a B2B company, but we are more a B2C unit now.”