Empowering India’s Artisans: Anuprerna’s Journey to Impactful, Sustainable Craftsmanship
India’s artisans are one of the oldest and most diverse communities in the world. Across the country, these skilled workers play a crucial role in preserving India’s cultural heritage. Typically operating at a family level or in small, informally organized units, many rural communities depend on these crafts for their livelihood, producing handmade, unique products.
Despite its deep roots, this industry faces serious challenges, with one of the biggest being the struggle to reach larger, more profitable markets due to remote locations and lack of digital infrastructure. This results in a lack of steady stream, impacting the consistency of their income and, consequently, their quality of life.
In June 2024, 60 Decibels, with the support of Acumen, embarked on an impact study to understand how Anuprerna, an organization working with artisans in West Bengal, was creating meaningful change in the lives of these workers.
We spoke with Amit Singha, the founder of Anuprerna, to get a first-hand perspective on the 60dB impact data collected, and how it has driven tangible improvements for the lives of artisans.
What does Anuprerna do? Tell us a bit about your mission.
Anuprerna is building a tech-enabled, sustainable supply chain for conscious consumers and businesses, focused on handmade natural textiles. We employ sustainable manufacturing practices and work with a transparent network of home-based handloom artisans, offering ready-to-order or custom-made textile products with ease.
Centered around the indigenous crafts and artisans of West Bengal, we currently collaborate with over 20 master artisans across 25 weaving clusters, supporting 150 artisans annually. Our mission is to provide consistent, stable employment to all artisans we work with, and we aim to expand this reach to 1,000 artisans over the next three years.
Why is measuring your impact important to your mission? What did you set out to learn by listening to customers?
“I’m financially independent now. I can spend on household needs. If my family members fall ill, I can take care of them.” – These powerful words from one of our artisans encapsulate the heart of our mission at Anuprerna.
Measuring our impact ensures that we are providing consistent and meaningful support to the artisans we work with. It allows us to track progress and make informed decisions to improve their livelihoods. In addition to maintaining close relationships with master artisans, we strive to understand the direct impact on individual artisans, particularly in areas such as quality of life, financial stability, work culture, and safety.
This deeper insight helps us refine our approach and create a more positive, sustainable environment for all involved.
What did you find most valuable from our study together?
The study revealed several key findings:
> Anuprerna has significantly improved the quality of work for artisans, empowering them with the right skills, which has led to timely payments, higher income, and better savings.
> 93% of artisans reported receiving regular work opportunities, and 4 in 5 weavers stated that their ability to cover household expenses and save has improved.
> 9 in 10 weavers reported an improved quality of life and fair income opportunities.
> 46% of artisans have involved family members in their craft, which gives us hope that future generations will continue the tradition.
The impact is further reflected in our Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 67. Our promoters value our timely payments and ability to provide consistent work throughout the year. This score is even higher for weavers who have worked with us for more than five years, with an NPS of 82—highlighting our long-term commitment to delivering impact.
How are you using the impact data now? Has it shaped any new thinking within the organization?
Addressing the complexities of the decentralized, home-based artisanal sector requires collective efforts. Even within Anuprerna, aligning our team with the artisans’ challenges is crucial. The impact study has become a valuable guide for all members, providing a deeper understanding of the intricacies of the artisanal sector and the efforts we are making to address them.
As we develop our tech-enabled, traceable supply chain, real-time impact measurement remains a focal point. The structured approach and standardized metrics from the 60 Decibels study have laid the foundation for integrating impact tracking into our supply chain technology, helping us connect artisans more closely with all stakeholders.
We’ve also adapted the study findings into a concise, simplified version of our 2024 impact report, which we’ve shared with our existing and potential partners and customers. You can explore it here.
Lastly, how has the impact study influenced your overall approach with artisans?
The journey isn’t just about financial independence but also about improving quality of life, ensuring a safe and comfortable work environment, continuous upskilling, promoting the dignity of work, and more. These elements are essential for building long-term, fruitful relationships with the artisans. The impact study has brought us closer to our artisans, enabling us to create a stronger, more sustainable home-based artisanal ecosystem.
This collaboration between Anuprerna, Acumen, and 60 Decibels shows how rigorous impact measurement can support the growth and sustainability of India’s traditional crafts sector. By combining Anuprerna’s tech-driven supply chain with 60 Decibels’ data-driven insights, the initiative provides a model for empowering artisans, preserving cultural heritage, and scaling impact for a sustainable future.