Meet the Artisans Behind UrbanShilp

Our artisans are the heart of everything we make. Every product at UrbanShilp carries the fingerprint of a real person — a weaver, a block-printer, a potter — who learned their craft from a parent, grandparent, or village master. Here are some of the artisans whose skill and stories live inside what we sell.

🧵 Dhaniyakhali Handloom Weavers — West Bengal

Dhaniyakhali, a small town in Hooghly district, West Bengal, is home to a centuries-old tradition of fine cotton weaving. The Dhaniyakhali saree is distinguished by its pure cotton base, vibrant border work, and exceptional durability. UrbanShilp works directly with weaver cooperatives in this region, ensuring artisans receive fair wages without middlemen.

Craft: Handloom cotton weaving | Region: Hooghly, West Bengal | Heritage: 200+ years

The looms used are traditional pit looms, set into the floor of the weaver’s home. A single Dhaniyakhali saree takes 2–3 days to complete. No two pieces are identical.

🎨 Kalamkari Block-Print Artists — Andhra Pradesh

Kalamkari is one of India’s oldest fabric arts, originating in Srikalahasti and Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The name combines “kalam” (pen) and “kari” (work) — art made with a pen. UrbanShilp’s Kalamkari pieces use hand-carved wooden blocks dipped in natural dyes derived from pomegranate rind, iron-rich mud, and indigo plants.

Craft: Block-print Kalamkari | Region: Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh | Technique: Natural dye, hand-carved teak blocks

Each block-printed piece goes through 7–10 stages including washing, mordanting, block-printing, sun-drying, and rinsing. The final colours emerge only after the last wash — a moment each artisan waits for.

🧺 Jute Craft Workers — West Bengal

West Bengal produces over 60% of India’s jute. The artisans behind UrbanShilp’s jute bags and handbags are mostly women self-help groups (SHGs) operating in the Murshidabad and North 24 Parganas districts. They weave, stitch, and hand-paint each bag — generating income within their communities without leaving their homes.

Craft: Jute weaving and finishing | Region: Murshidabad, West Bengal | Social impact: Women-led SHGs

🪢 Kota Doriya Weavers — Rajasthan

Kota Doriya is a delicate, sheer fabric woven in Kaithoon village near Kota, Rajasthan. It is distinguished by its square check patterns (khat) created by weaving cotton and silk together on traditional pit looms. The fabric is so light that a 6-metre saree can be passed through a ring.

Craft: Kota Doriya weaving | Region: Kaithoon, Rajasthan | GI Tag: Yes — Geographical Indication certified

🎋 Bamboo Craftspeople — North-East India

India’s north-eastern states — Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura — have a living tradition of bamboo craft. Artisans handcraft utility items, decor, and furniture from locally harvested bamboo. UrbanShilp’s bamboo range is sourced from Assam-based artisan clusters, where bamboo is treated, shaped, and finished without chemical sealants.

Craft: Bamboo weaving and carving | Region: Assam, North-East India | Material: Muli bamboo, naturally treated

Our Commitment to Artisans

• Direct procurement — no middlemen between artisan and buyer
• Fair pricing based on actual craft time and material cost
• Advance payments to artisans before production begins
• We share your name and region on every product page — because craft has a hometown

Want to know more about a specific craft or artisan community? Write to us at hello@urbanshilp.com — we love talking about this.

Why We Feature Our Artisans by Name

Most marketplaces hide the maker behind a generic product photo. We do the opposite, because our artisans are the reason UrbanShilp exists in the first place. When you buy a Dhaniyakhali saree or a hand-carved bamboo piece, you are supporting a named weaver or craftsperson, not an anonymous factory line. If you want to see the finished pieces these communities make, browse our Shop, or read Our Story to understand why we built UrbanShilp this way. Each purchase you make keeps a real skill alive.