India knows the carpet weaving as a traditional and well-established industry. Exquisite Indian carpets reflect a timeless amalgamation of nature, culture, and art while being part of luxurious lifestyles in modern times. These magnificent masterpieces created by over 3 million Indian carpet weavers and craftsmen continue to grab eyeballs from consumers around the globe. This industry contributes significantly to the employment and income segment as well as foreign exchange earnings. Since the inception, this sector has industry has been rural-based, thus, it also leads to notable regional growth. The sector is therefore prepping up for major upgrades to elevate its export performance.
Carpet weaving is not a newly emerged profession as the tradition of pile carpet weaving dates as far back as the 16th century, when Mughals established the art of carpet weaving in the town of Akbarabad, now Agra. Carpet weaving continued expanding and surviving in India under the patronage of the Indian nobility. The contribution of the carpet industry to employment and income generation is well-recognized. It remarkably caters to employment in rural and semi-urban areas, while contributing substantially to societal objectives like poverty alleviation with the help of employment generation. The Indian carpet industry is primarily export-oriented. Indian carpets are exported globally to around 200 countries. USA, Germany, UK, UAE, Italy, Australia, Turkey, France, Canada, Belgium, Brazil, Japan, Netherland, Saudi Arab, and Sweden are considered to the extensive carpet exporting destinations.
The carpet industry in India is the finest example of how a domestic industry practiced at home can be transformed into a full-grown mechanized industry. The sector is growing exponentially from the safer confines of the home where the carpet was weaved to the market catering global audience with its online and offline presence. Strategic business models are being widely used in the textiles world these days to analyze the problems and prospects of any business situation. Since the COVID crisis has hit the market badly, more brands are now gearing up to mark their presence on digital mediums through virtual fairs and online business. The digital presence is expected to enhance the brand’s ability to generate traffic and sales for the business. Virtual fairs and online shopping platforms will boost the ability to reach people through the website, through which the brands will witness a significant amount of increase in the number of customers. The online visibility will not only foster the business but also help the entire carpet industry to emerge as an organized sector while increasing the brand’s credibility and visibility in the larger target audience.
The adoption of omnichannel retail will continue to have a profound impact on every element of the supply chain. The strong presence on mobile search engines like Google Mobile will strengthen the brand while helping them with digital systems. Mobile e-mail is seen as the most used extension of telecommunication functionality and search functions are the primary driver of Internet commerce, so it can be a lucrative adaptation. Brands and retailers need will enable transactions and deliver confirmations via the mobile web or phones. Various brands have understood that it is the right time to get strategic about cross-channel targeting and marketing. Also, the paramount use of analytics to mine business intelligence and understand customers will be critical.
Authored by Vikas Gupta, CEO, Greyweave.com