Lanterns designed by Es Devlin made by Wen Qiuwen (China). Homo Faber Biennal: an Island of Light, 2026

RESOURCES

Garland Magazine

An online platform publishing craft stories from around the world. Publishing quarterly issues, news stories, events calendar, podcasts and interviews, Garland shares stories about objects, people and traditions from a diverse range of countries and cultures.

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Economics of Indian Crafts

The Institute for Human Development (IHD), and the Crafts Council of India (CCI), launched the report Economics of Indian Craft: Estimating Employment and Value Added in the Handicraft and Handloom Sector in New Delhi on 18th May 2026 at IIC.

This work is the outcome of a dedicated field survey across five states using an estimation framework that seeks to generate credible, comparable evidence on the handmade sector’s size and contribution as well as to offer a tested, replicable methodology/toolkit for future exercises at state and national levels. 

Craft sector report

Knowledge House for Craft

The Knowledge House for Craft vault is an independent repository for us to share and digest work towards understanding the meaning of handmade across the wider world. It’s not beholden to any one institutional or national interest. The diversity of perspectives across time and place enriches our knowledge.

Think of it as a commons: a shared repository built by many hands and kept alive by the people who use it. The vault is a “knowledge graph”, the medium for understanding in our time. Using the metaphor of knowledge weaving, each of us gathers a thread, a claim, a term, a reference, and it gets woven into the graph, connected to everything else already there.

There are at least two ways to add a thread.

  • Value of Craft Project: contribute a reference or claim under one of the value domains, including economy, wellbeing, culture, equity and environment. Fill this form here.

  • World Craft Dictionary: add a term from a craft tradition or language not yet represented. Details here.

  • The WhatsApp group is there for small, unfinished sharing too.

Digital archive

Craft Publications

Craft Shaping Society: Educating in the Crafts—The Global Experience

Focuses on craft as a living cultural practice, highlighting how skills, tools, and materials connect heritage with innovation. Through global case studies, contributors reveal how craft supports creativity, employment, and environmental sustainability, making a strong link between education, skills development, and meaningful work within Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

Edited by Lindy Joubert. Published by Springer

Craft—Tradition and Invention: Educating in the Crafts—The Global Experience

Edited by Lindy Joubert. Published by Springer

Looks at craft in the context of rapid global change, including the Fourth Industrial Revolution and climate challenges. It emphasises the urgent need to redefine craft education to safeguard cultural heritage while preparing learners for future employment. Aligned with UNESCO’s TVET priorities, the volume demonstrates how craft can foster community wellbeing, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihoods.