Reliance Retail has introduced Swadesh, a premium-to-luxury store in Hyderabad, dedicated to promoting India's traditional arts and crafts. Spanning 20,000 to 30,000 sq.ft., Swadesh offers handmade textiles, handicrafts, agricultural products, jewellery, and more. The store emphasizes preserving India's artistic heritage and plans to collaborate with a million artisans by 2025. Swadesh aims to establish ten stores in Indian cities and expand internationally to the US and Europe, integrating with JioMart. As the ethnic handicrafts market grows, Swadesh's entry provides consumers with a unique, upscale shopping experience, celebrating India's diverse artistic traditions.
Reliance Retail, the country's largest organized retailer, has ventured into the ethnic arts and crafts segment with the launch of Swadesh, a large-format store aimed at promoting and preserving India's age-old arts and crafts. The inaugural Swadesh store was unveiled in Hyderabad at the Alcazar Mall, a popular shopping destination in the city.
Positioned as a premium-to-luxury shopping destination, Swadesh offers a diverse range of products including handmade textiles, handicrafts, agricultural products with geographical indications, paintings, sculptures, jewellery, homeware, and wellness products. The store, spanning 20,000 to 30,000 sq.ft., will also provide unique services such as a "scan-and-know" feature, allowing customers to trace the story behind a product and its maker. Additionally, Swadesh offers customization services in collaboration with its team and features a café based on the farm-to-table concept.
Nita Ambani, founder and chairperson of the Reliance Foundation, expressed her enthusiasm for Swadesh, emphasizing its role in preserving and promoting India's rich artistic heritage. The initiative, driven by partnerships with artisans and designers, aims to collaborate with around one million artisans and weavers by 2025. In the first phase, Reliance Retail plans to establish 10 Swadesh stores within India, targeting cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.
Swadesh's foray into the international market is also on the horizon, with plans to expand to the United States and Europe. This expansion not only caters to the Indian diaspora abroad but also provides a global platform for Indian artisans. The initiative is expected to integrate with JioMart, Reliance's e-commerce platform, to enhance its reach and brand growth.
While Swadesh enters the ethnic handicrafts market, it faces competition from established players like Fabindia and government-run Khadi Bhandar stores. Industry experts predict significant growth in the ethnic handicrafts market, estimating its size to reach $6 billion by 2028, up from nearly $4 billion at present. This growth is attributed to consumers' increasing embrace of locally crafted items.
In conclusion, Swadesh's entry into the ethnic arts and crafts segment marks a significant step toward preserving India's rich cultural heritage. As it competes with existing players and expands its footprint globally, the initiative is poised to contribute substantially to the growth of the ethnic handicrafts market while providing artisans with a platform to showcase their talent and creativity. Consumers can look forward to a unique and upscale shopping experience, celebrating the diverse artistic traditions of India, courtesy of Swadesh.
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