We all visit handicrafts melas and pay an occasional visit to Dilli Haat and similar places, looking for something different and very Indian. The demand for rural handicrafts and artistic products has been there all along, but with the easy availability of well-advertised assembly line products, they’ve been losing out.

UnWrapIndia - Buy Handicrafts Online in India

This is exactly what UnwrapIndia, a new first-of-its kind e-commerce site seeks to change. The aim of this start-up is to bridge the gap between rural craftsmen and the urban buyer who does get to know about these people due to lack of publicity. The website brings the finest home décor crafts, furnishings and accessories right at your doorstep. The team behind the concept comes from diverse backgrounds and is committed to promoting Indian products by providing a platform which can reach a larger audience.

The website has a very neat and professional yet aesthetic look to it and since it has been built right from scratch, the developers are at complete freedom to incorporate features and make the website look and feel the way they want. What makes the concept even more endearing is the fact that UWI has partnered with 75 suppliers from rural Manipur and Assam already and even with NGOs. The company is now planning to go international soon. But the primary purpose to make Indian customers more aware of Indian products and encourage them to invest in these rather than foreign products.

UnwrapIndia - Selling real handicraft products online in India

The company has made Blue Dart their logistics provider, to make sure delivery of items is done safely and customers get their products faster. One interesting activity the team has undertaken is to train rural artisans in a few small but important things such as avoiding the use of certain chemicals in their paints and artwork to it export compliant. Within 4 months, they have been able to find artisans from the North East, Kashmir, Ghaziabad, Haryana, Manali etc.

Suppliers also have access to a supplier login feature which is extremely useful and flexible. They can add/modify their products, give discounts, manage stock and also have a landing page that talks about their company. In essence, it functions as a supplier’s own website. UWI will soon update this feature so that suppliers can manage their in-house inventory through this website as well.

A well thought out concept with excellent execution makes UWI a unique and subsequently growing business, at 40% month over month and an alexa rank of 50k. The philosophy is very new in the India e-commerce market and could surely compete with other players like Flipkart or Myntra.