"A circular economy is an alternative to a conventional linear economy (make, use, dispose of) in which, when in use, we retain resources in use for as long as possible, derive the maximum benefit from them, then recover and recycle goods and materials at the end of each service life." Such local economies enable the world around them to establish more sustainable growth and practices. Kirti Nagar, a famous furniture hub, the market is the largest of its kind in Asia with the widest range of timber work. There are more than 800 shops and studios operating in the market for wood furniture- with a variety of items suitable for all-home, office, baby, designer, imported up street fashionable. While the business has grown exponentially in West Delhi over the past three decades mainly due to the ongoing efforts of the dealers, the position of local small-time workers and carpenters cannot be eliminated. I visited a woodcarving shop called DP Woodwork, located in this great hub of the city. Mr. Ram Prasad, who was the shop owner, told that the wood carved furniture was exported and supplied not only to the large shops in the hub but also to other states and regions. For the past 15 years, he has been in this market, establishing himself in the larger hub arena. He had a workshop where artisans saw, sand, and cut the wood into frames, boxes, decorative pieces, etc. Most of these craftsmen belonged to the Muslim religion and were from Delhi and its neighbouring states. Some of them have been permanent but most are working as orders arrive, depending on demand.
Two types of wood, Sheesham, or more generally known as rosewood (malleable and softer), and teak (water-resistant and with a denser structure that is considered more durable), were typically worked with. Much of the raw wood was selected from the hub itself while it was carried from the state of Uttar Pradesh on some orders as well.In open-air sheds, the wood is processed, where it is sorted and stacked depending on the variety (Sheesham, teak, mango, sandal). It will be sanded and prepped until it's carved. If the shape is carved, the artisans sit on a pedal-powered machine, spinning the woodblock, or using hand tools to create smaller, more accurate incisions. Once the carving is complete, it is whitewashed and then painted. The industry endured a setback owing to the pandemic, as he revealed. Besides, he added that his shop had been closed for three months. The job didn't go as it used to be, even though things were resurrected. A lot of artisans who went back home were not called back, there was a reduction in exports to cut transportation charges as well as less demand. I also asked about if they face competition with the existing laser cutting technology? He firmly replied that " I believe in the purity of my craft and it has been a highly respected one. " Although it's tempting to say technology takes the ability and creativity out of woodworking, it's both unreasonable and false. Yes, automation simplifies and makes the woodcraft more effective. But better craftsmanship can never be replaced. As a consumer, I feel that the traditional knowledge of woodcarving contributes to livelihood improvement and household incomes if given more opportunity and explored further. In India, Rajasthan is considered the cradle of string puppetry which helped in specialized puppet-making woodcarving. Numerous such examples demonstrate the relations between the enhancement of local awareness and livelihoods around the globe. Also, the country has emerged as one of the largest producers of woodcarvings globally but, its contribution to national export counts low and widely varying. As a designer, I feel, it is a flexible industry in terms of sustainability, durability, and design aesthetics as well. It should be supported as a system that should ultimately aim to generate energy through renewable sources, and producing timber requires significantly less energy than any other mainstream building material.
In an uncertain and fast-evolving world, versatility and durability are high priorities if a product or material is to become part of the circular economy and wood is a highly durable building material. Looking at the current pandemic scenario, in helping local artisans and entrepreneurs to use their conventional skills to generate large household incomes, comparatively much better policy and governance, strong infrastructure, and increasing tourism play an important role. The advent of woodcarving as a major source of income for local artisans also has further advantages: it encourages long-term carbon locking in carved wood, linked with the development of new carbon capacity through increased tree-growing; it promotes local awareness of wood-carving and tree-growing, thus further strengthening living conditions, and it also serves as a revenue-earning operation for local governments to encourage local trade and industry.
References: https://dlc.dlib.indiana.edu/dlc/bitstream/handle/10535/3868/PandeyWood.pdf?sequence=1 https://www.bwf.org.uk/toolkit/environmental-waste-management/circular-economy/ https://melaartisans.com/pages/saharanpur-wood https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/north/kirti-nagar-a-popular-hub-for-furniture- shopping/articleshow/13262848.cms?from=mdr https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/publications/TCE_Report- 2013.pdf
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