At Terracotta by Sachii, you can find beautiful terracotta products like crockery, pottery and other items of daily use. They are all handmade and painted by artisans from rural India with locally sourced clay and pigments.
The proud founder of this online store, Sachii Tripathi, has been empowering traditional artisans across India by helping them build a sustainable business out of their craft.
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The beginning of Terracotta by Sachii
Sachii Tripathi had always been drawn to handicrafts. She completed her post-graduation in Ceramics & Glass Design from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. Even though she had a corporate career, she decided to open her own online store independently during the lockdown.
That was the time when the handicrafts sector in India was struggling to survive. Even before that, traditional artisans were finding it difficult to find new customers for their art. That was the time she decided to help these artisans and also preserve an integral part of India’s cultural heritage!
Bridging traditions and modern solutions
For Sachii, preserving the art of making pottery with burnt clay or terracotta was a priority. She had always been drawn to terracotta and she understood the nuances of handling this material.
Her business model involves –
- Identifying terracotta pottery making clusters in the country
- Collaborating and co-creating with them and procuring them in batches
- Using the Instamojo eCommerce website to sell the products all over the country
This method not only helps the artisans gain recognition for their work but also gain economic benefits.
Her mission is to bridge the gap between tradition and modernity by empowering the artisans using eCommerce.
Terracotta by Sachii currently focuses on 5 different clusters around India. The store brings the different unique indigenous ways of each cluster to the wider masses. Her online store on Instamojo hosts attractive pictures of the products and also of the artisans whose talented hands brought these beautiful objects to life.
Related read: How to sell handmade products online in India: The ultimate guide
The primary motivation behind Terracotta by Sachii
Sachii wants to enable the artisan community and also raise awareness about the problems they face. She wants to ensure India’s heritage does not get lost in the chaos of industrialisation.
Handicrafts have always been a source of pride for our nation. But, for the craftsmen making them, it is not enough to sustain their families. There is a rise in the number of artisans who are leaving behind this profession. She says, if one region in Gujarat had 15 to 20 families working on handmaking potteries once upon a time, now there are hardly 3 or 4.
“I don’t just want these artisans to see some extra income during the festive seasons. They should be able to sustain themselves month-on-month. Infact, I envision myself establishing a strong network of more such artisans in two years. And then eventually becoming the go-to person in India for all genuine Terracotta needs” – Sachii Tripathi
Her current business model is based on individual consumption but she slowly wants to move to a business-to-business model. She wants corporates and businesses to be more aware of what and where they are sourcing from. She wants corporates to also adopt the motto of ‘sourcing with a purpose’.
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Contemporary designs blended with traditional craftsmanship
Sachii’s choice of using an online store to build awareness is a perfect blend of tradition and modernity. Another way she is blending the two is by designing some products herself.
Artisans may not have complete knowledge of contemporary needs and styles. As a designer, she considers it her responsibility to fill this gap. She often designs several products and gives them to the artisans to make.
These contemporary designs on traditional material give it its unique look and characteristics. The products are appealing and attractive to a larger audience because of their modern design. All while preserving the traditional work and flair of the artisans.
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Instamojo as a growth platform for Terracotta by Sachii
Sachii found Instamojo to be perfectly suitable to her needs as an Indian small business owner. From easily navigatable features to a responsive customer support team, Sachii has been able to grow her online business to serve customers all over India. It allowed her to add and modify her inventory as required, conduct payments smoothly and securely, and also manage her orders efficiently. And all at an affordable price!
“I was very happy with the payment features of Instamojo! Then when I realised I could easily add products also, switching to the online store was the natural next step. The entire process was easy, I could build everything according to what I wanted. And it was affordable! I have also raised multiple concerns, but the team always gets back to me and resolves all of them quickly. For someone whose passion is preserving and selling Indian handicrafts, Instamojo was the obvious choice” – Sachii
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