J-K's School of Designs playing vital role in modifying handicraft designs, boosting industry

School of Designs, a unit of Jammu and Kashmir's Directorate of Handicrafts, is playing a vital role in improving the designs of traditional handicraft products giving a boost to the industry and helping local artisans earn more profits.

To catch up to the ever-changing trends of the market and needs of the people, the Schools of Designs has been experimenting with designs of various handicraft products, which over the years have received a good response.

Presently, with the help of professional designers the craftsmen of this institute have already learned a large number of designs and they are applying on all products including paper mache, wood carving, kani shawls, carpets, willow wicker and embroidery also.

Speaking to ANI, craftsman Showkat Ahmad said, "Our handicraft is incomplete without School of Designs. Be it any product, it is incomplete without the School of Designs. If we change the design, it impacts the original product. But if we give a proper designing touch without losing its originality and accuracy it becomes a perfect package."

He further said, "When a touch of designing is given to a handicraft product, it improves a lot. Thus, it is important for an artisan to give a designing touch to the product. It will become more attractive and can be sold at a good price if a combination of designer elements like colour combination and design accuracy are put together."

It is the opinion of many craftsmen that new designs and reorientation of old designs give a distinct feature to the product, which boosts the industry altogether.

"We have innovative new designs in every handicraft. It helps a lot of private artisans, when we provide them with such designs," said Suhaib, a craftsman.

Mushtaq Ahmad toldthat many craftsmen are honing their skills.

"I work on Kani shawls. We have experimented a lot and there has been a good response. People get a new taste in crafts. Every day we think of something new depending on the demand of people," he said.

Nissar Ahmad, a designer at the institute said that the aim of this unit of the Directorate of Handicrafts is to introduce the changes in the craft as per changing times. "There are more than 5,000 samples in 12-13 craft works here. Every day we try to introduce something new with newer experiments," he said.

( With inputs from ANI )