Handicrafts represent the culture and traditional skills of a community. Skills in traditional crafts are nurtured and influenced by the nature and reflect the aesthetics and values of the practitioner community. The products are rooted in their indigenous creativity and knowledge. Growth of civilisation can be rightly identified as a quest of human creativity in optimally using external resources to create objects suited to meet daily needs, and also having aesthetic appeal. Traditional craftsmanship includes hand-skills, knowledge of local natural materials, the creator’s expressions, and emotions, and is an integral part of driving economic activities, social functions, and religious performances. A kaleidoscope of diverse handicraft traditions ranging from textile and mat weaving, exquisite embroideries to metal craft, wood carving, pottery, and others shape the creative landscape and identity of West Bengal. Most of the craft traditions are home-based, community centric, and labour intensive. The eco-friendly handicrafts have great potential for livelihood and income generation.

Apart from their aesthetic appeal, traditional crafts are infused with utility value. Since time immemorial, these items have served to be the premise of society and economy. Weaving traditions, wood, metal crafting, clay modelling, and other hanicraft practices initially started as family-centric endeavours, undertaken to meet daily needs.