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Handicrafts

Export handicrafts (cane, bamboo, jute and natural fibre)

Baskets, storage, lamps and décor from cane, bamboo and grasses, sold to home-décor importers.

Free to exportHS 4602
HS code
4602
Basketwork, wickerwork and other articles made from plaiting materials such as cane, bamboo, palm leaf, seagrass and water hyacinth. Other crafts sit in their material chapters (metal, wood, stone, glass).
Export policy
Free to export
Free to export. Crafts made from wild or protected plants or animal parts can be prohibited — check the ITC(HS) policy conditions for your material.
Registrations
4
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 23.3 mn
to 55 countries

What is exported

Natural-fibre crafts come from clusters in the North-East, West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala and elsewhere. Buyers are home-décor importers, gift shops and online retailers who want consistent sizes and safe packing. Exports under HS 4602 were about US$ 23 million in 2025-26, led by the USA, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Cane and bamboo baskets and furnitureFrom Assam, Tripura and Bareilly; buyers check for mould and pests.
  • Jute bags, baskets and décorShopping bags, storage baskets and rugs, mainly from West Bengal.
  • Grass, palm-leaf and sikki productsMadur mats from West Bengal, sikki grass craft from Bihar, palm-leaf boxes from Tamil Nadu and Odisha.
  • Seagrass, water-hyacinth and kauna basketsStorage and laundry baskets for home-decor chains.

Where it is grown or made

  • Assam and TripuraBarpeta, Guwahati and Agartala — cane and bamboo
  • West BengalKolkata–Howrah (jute products), Paschim Medinipur (madur mats)
  • Uttar PradeshBareilly — cane and bamboo furniture
  • BiharMadhubani and Sitamarhi — sikki grass products
  • ManipurImphal — kauna (water reed) baskets and mats

Export packing

  • Baskets are nested to save space, wrapped in polybags with silica gel to stop mould, then packed in 5-ply cartons.
  • Plant-based goods may need fumigation and a phytosanitary certificate for Australia and some other markets.
  • Any wooden crates or pallets must be ISPM-15 treated and stamped.

Who buys abroad

  • Home-decor and storage retailers
  • Fair-trade importers and gift shops
  • Garden centres and florists (planters and baskets)
  • Supermarkets buying reusable jute bags

The quality buyers ask for

Dimensions and weight
Size and weight per piece within the tolerance on the approved sample
Finish and coating
Paints and lacquers free of lead (US: 90 ppm limit for paint on consumer products, 16 CFR 1303) and of restricted heavy metals
Food contact (if used for food)
Migration tests under EU Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 and the specific material rules, or US FDA rules
Drop and transit test
Packed carton drop test (often ISTA 1A or 2A) to prove the product survives shipping
Moisture (for wood, cane, jute)
Low moisture content to prevent mould in transit; buyers set a maximum
Electrical items (lamps)
CE (LVD) for Europe and UL listing for the USA if the product has wiring

Certificates

  • Social compliance audit (amfori BSCI or SMETA)Often askedChain stores and large importers require it of the exporter and key workshops.
  • Fumigation / ISPM-15RequiredWooden packing must be heat-treated and stamped under ISPM-15; natural-fibre goods often need fumigation.
  • FSC / VRIKSHOften askedTimber legality or chain-of-custody proof for wooden items; EPCH runs the VRIKSH timber legality programme.
  • Craftmark / GIOften askedMarks of authentic Indian craft or a registered GI (e.g. Moradabad metal craft, Channapatna toys).
  • Fair-trade (WFTO)Often askedFor ethical-retail buyers.
  • Artisan card (Development Commissioner Handicrafts)Often askedRegistration of artisans; needed for some government support schemes.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Mostly LCL or mixed 40-ft containers consolidated by the buyer's forwarder; goods are packed in 5-ply cartons with inner boxes, foam or paper fill. Bulky items fill a container by volume long before weight.

How it travels

Sea for orders; air or courier for samples and small online-seller lots.

Storage

Keep natural materials dry; add silica gel and do not pack wood or cane while damp.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Country of origin on the product or its packaging ('Made in India'); US Customs requires origin marking on most imports.
  • Warnings where needed: 'not for food use' on decorative items with paints, small-parts warnings on decorative items that look like toys.
  • Carton marks with item number, quantity, gross/net weight and carton dimensions.
  • CE marking only for products that fall under a CE directive (for example lamps); never on plain décor.
Where to get it tested

Search the NABL directory for labs accredited for heavy metals in paints and coatings, food-contact migration, or electrical safety, depending on your product. EPCH can point members to testing and design support in its clusters. Buyers often name an international test house; most have NABL-accredited labs in Delhi NCR and Mumbai.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • EPCH (Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts)RCMC for handicrafts, including jute handicrafts and miscellaneous handicrafts.epch.in ↗
  • Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) — artisan registrationArtisans can register for an identity card that links them to government craft schemes; useful when you buy from artisan groups.handicrafts.nic.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • Plant-based crafts must be free of insects, mould and bark. Australia and New Zealand inspect them closely and may require treatment certificates — check the import conditions before shipping.
  • EU: consumer goods must meet the General Product Safety Regulation, with an EU-based responsible person and traceability details on the product or packaging.
  • Wooden pallets or crates must be ISPM-15 treated and marked.
How to start small

Choose one craft and one cluster, and fix sizes, finishes and packing with the artisans. Join EPCH, exhibit at the IHGF Delhi Fair or an EPCH-led fair, and begin with mixed-item consolidated shipments (LCL) to small importers.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Mould in transit: green or damp cane and bamboo grow fungus at sea. Dry and treat the goods and pack with moisture absorbers.
  • Goods held at destination for pests or bark, with costly re-treatment or destruction.
  • Each hand-made piece differs. Agree acceptable variation with the buyer in writing.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (7)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 4602 by country, 2025-26
  2. DGFT — Appendix 2T: Export Promotion Councils and the products under each
  3. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  4. EUR-Lex — General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988, summary
  5. IPPC — ISPM 15: Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade
  6. Australian Government — BICON import conditions database
  7. EPCH — official site

Trade data

Indian handicrafts (cane, bamboo, jute and natural fibre) exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 23.3 mn
+9.4% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↓ -20.7%
US$ 29.4 mn → US$ 23.3 mn
Buyer countries
55
Average export price
US$ 3.62
per kg · 6,432 tonnes shipped · US$ 3.48 the year before
United States of America: US$ 7.2 mnGermany: US$ 3.6 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 1.8 mnIsrael: US$ 1.8 mnNetherlands: US$ 1.3 mnFrance: US$ 990kSpain: US$ 920kBelgium: US$ 690kItaly: US$ 680kAustralia: US$ 560kSweden: US$ 430kUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 380kDenmark: US$ 250kSwitzerland: US$ 250kCanada: US$ 240kNew Zealand: US$ 220kArgentina: US$ 180kSaudi Arabia: US$ 180kChina: US$ 170kNorway: US$ 140kBahrain: US$ 110kHong Kong: US$ 100kMalaysia: US$ 90kGreece: US$ 80kUnited States of America: US$ 7.2 mnUnited States of AmericaGermany: US$ 3.6 mnGermanyUnited Kingdom: US$ 1.8 mnIsrael: US$ 1.8 mnIsraelNetherlands: US$ 1.3 mnFrance: US$ 990kSpain: US$ 920kSpainBelgium: US$ 690kItaly: US$ 680kAustralia: US$ 560kAustraliaSweden: US$ 430kUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 380kUnited Arab EmiratesDenmark: US$ 250kSwitzerland: US$ 250kCanada: US$ 240kNew Zealand: US$ 220kArgentina: US$ 180kSaudi Arabia: US$ 180kChina: US$ 170kNorway: US$ 140kBahrain: US$ 110kHong Kong: US$ 100kMalaysia: US$ 90kGreece: US$ 80kIndia
Where Indian handicrafts (cane, bamboo, jute and natural fibre) goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 14.9 mn152020-212021-22: US$ 22.5 mn222021-222022-23: US$ 26.4 mn262022-232023-24: US$ 30 mn302023-242024-25: US$ 29.4 mn292024-252025-26: US$ 23.3 mn232025-26
India’s handicrafts (cane, bamboo, jute and natural fibre) exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2020-21, lowest in 2024-25 — a 13% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 3.92 per kg3.922021-22: US$ 3.57 per kg2022-23: US$ 3.58 per kg2024-25: US$ 3.48 per kg3.482025-26: US$ 3.62 per kg3.622020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian handicrafts (cane, bamboo, jute and natural fibre) · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 14.9 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 22.5 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 26.4 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 30 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 29.4 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 23.3 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 32.6 mn (US$ 24.2 mn – US$ 43.9 mn)332026-272027-28: US$ 35.7 mn (US$ 25.6 mn – US$ 49.8 mn)362027-28
India’s handicrafts (cane, bamboo, jute and natural fibre) exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 35.7 mn

Likely range US$ 25.6 mn to US$ 49.8 mn.

Trend
+9.5% a year
Fit (R²)
0.43 — weak, read with care
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1United States of AmericaUS$ 7.2 mn-40.2%
2GermanyUS$ 3.6 mn+10.7%
3United KingdomUS$ 1.8 mn-15.7%
4IsraelUS$ 1.8 mn-23.9%
5NetherlandsUS$ 1.3 mn-35.8%
6FranceUS$ 990k-2.9%
7SpainUS$ 920k-35.7%
8BelgiumUS$ 690k+9.5%
9ItalyUS$ 680k+21.4%
10AustraliaUS$ 560k-9.7%
11SwedenUS$ 430k+16.2%
12United Arab EmiratesUS$ 380k-7.3%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. GermanyUS$ 3.3 mn → US$ 3.6 mn+10.7%

Low demand

  1. United States of AmericaUS$ 12.1 mn → US$ 7.2 mn-40.2%
  2. NetherlandsUS$ 2 mn → US$ 1.3 mn-35.8%
  3. SpainUS$ 1.4 mn → US$ 920k-35.7%
  4. IsraelUS$ 2.3 mn → US$ 1.8 mn-23.9%
  5. United KingdomUS$ 2.2 mn → US$ 1.8 mn-15.7%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Others-of-others-of-basket/wicker work and other articls made to shape from plaitng materls or from goodsof hdng 4601 articles of4602 19 90 · Basketwork, wickerwork and other articles, of vegetable materials, made directly to shape from plaiting…US$ 11.1 mn-22.5%2,967 tonnesUS$ 3.74 per kgwas US$ 3.45
Palm leaf items other then baskets4602 19 19 · Basketwork, wickerwork and other articles, of vegetable materials, made directly to shape from plaiting…US$ 9 mn-27.3%3,226 tonnesUS$ 2.80 per kgwas US$ 3.08
Basketwork, wickerwork and other articles, of vegetable materials, made directly to shape from plaiting… — palm leaf basket etc..4602 19 11US$ 1.4 mn+19.5%119 tonnesUS$ 11.81 per kgwas US$ 11.06
Others-of-others-of-basket/wicker work and other articls made to shape from plaitng materls or from goodsof hdng 4601 articles of4602 90 00 · Basketwork, wickerwork and other articles, of non-vegetable materials, made directly to shape from plaiting…US$ 1.1 mn+51.4%91 tonnesUS$ 11.64 per kgwas US$ 17.77
Basketwork, wickerwork and other articles, of rattan, made directly to shape from plaiting materials or… — of rattan4602 12 00US$ 450k+4.7%16 tonnesUS$ 28.67 per kgwas US$ 16.41
Basketwork, wickerwork and other articles, of bamboo, made directly to shape from plaiting materials or… — of bamboo4602 11 00US$ 230k-28.1%13 tonnesUS$ 17.93 per kgwas US$ 3.43

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 1.82 bn
2023
India among exporters
#14
of 143 countries
India’s share of world exports
1.2%
US$ 28.9 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 2.34 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 1.25 bn 52.7%
  2. 2Viet NamUS$ 308 mn 13%
  3. 3IndonesiaUS$ 81.6 mn 3.5%
  4. 4NetherlandsUS$ 75.6 mn 3.2%
  5. 5SpainUS$ 61.6 mn 2.6%
  6. 6United Arab EmiratesUS$ 56.2 mn 2.4%
  7. 7GermanyUS$ 55.1 mn 2.3%
  8. 8PolandUS$ 52.9 mn 2.2%
  9. 9FranceUS$ 48.7 mn 2.1%
  10. 10CanadaUS$ 43.6 mn 1.8%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 585 mn 32.2%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 131 mn 7.2%
  3. 3FranceUS$ 112 mn 6.2%
  4. 4JapanUS$ 99.8 mn 5.5%
  5. 5United KingdomUS$ 82.9 mn 4.6%
  6. 6SpainUS$ 73.4 mn 4%
  7. 7NetherlandsUS$ 67.3 mn 3.7%
  8. 8ItalyUS$ 62.6 mn 3.4%
  9. 9United Arab EmiratesUS$ 46.4 mn 2.6%
  10. 10PolandUS$ 38.2 mn 2.1%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

United States of AmericaUS$ 631 mnIndia 23.8% · gap US$ 481 mn
GermanyUS$ 138 mnIndia 1.3% · gap US$ 136 mn
FranceUS$ 126 mnIndia 2.2% · gap US$ 123 mn
JapanUS$ 89.8 mnIndia 0.6% · gap US$ 89.3 mn
NetherlandsUS$ 85.5 mnIndia 1.8% · gap US$ 84 mn
SpainUS$ 84.3 mnIndia 4.1% · gap US$ 80.9 mn
United KingdomUS$ 82.9 mnIndia 2.6% · gap US$ 80.7 mn
ItalyUS$ 72.8 mnIndia 1.3% · gap US$ 71.9 mn
United Arab EmiratesUS$ 46.4 mnIndia 4.9% · gap US$ 44.2 mn
Saudi ArabiaUS$ 43.9 mnIndia 6.6% · gap US$ 41 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export handicrafts (cane, bamboo, jute and natural fibre)

India is a major supplier of hand-made gifts and décor, alongside China, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. China leads on price and volume; India's edge is the range of materials and crafts — metal, wood, textiles, stone, glass and painting — and the ability to take small, custom orders. Demand comes from importers, chain stores, online sellers and gift shops in the USA and Europe, and depends on seasons such as Christmas. Openings are in sustainable and natural-material products, festive décor, and design-led collections for independent retailers.

  1. 01Build a collection

    Pick a craft and material you can control, and design 20–40 items with clear prices and minimums.

  2. 02Meet buyers at fairs

    Show at IHGF Delhi Fair through EPCH, then at an overseas fair when you have repeat customers.

  3. 03Approve samples

    Send counter-samples; get written approval on finish, size and packing.

  4. 04Test where needed

    Lead-in-paint, food-contact or electrical tests, as the product and market require.

  5. 05Produce with artisans

    Give clear specifications, pay advances on time and inspect inline.

  6. 06Pack, fumigate and ship

    Drop-test the cartons, fumigate if required, and file the shipping bill.

  7. 07Payment

    Take an advance (often 30–50% with new buyers) and the balance against documents.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting handicrafts (cane, bamboo, jute and natural fibre)

Do I need a test report for every item?
No. Test by material and finish: one report can cover items with the same paint or the same food-contact surface. Ask the buyer which tests they need.
How do I set a minimum order?
Base it on what your artisans can make efficiently per design, often a few dozen pieces, and a minimum order value per shipment.
When should I show at a fair for Christmas goods?
Christmas orders are placed early in the year (Christmasworld and spring fairs) and shipped by mid-year.
Is CE marking needed for décor?
Only if the product falls under an EU directive — for example lamps (low voltage) or items sold as toys. Plain décor falls under general product safety rules instead.
What is VRIKSH?
EPCH's timber legality certification for wood handicraft exporters, showing the wood was legally sourced.
Sources (6)
  1. EPCH (Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts) — official site
  2. eCFR — 16 CFR Part 1303, Ban of lead-containing paint and certain consumer products bearing it
  3. European Commission — Food contact materials
  4. IPPC — ISPM 15, Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade
  5. European Commission — CE marking
  6. NABL — search for accredited testing laboratories

Who buys Indian handicrafts (cane, bamboo, jute and natural fibre)

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