Wooden Handicrafts

An Overview of Wooden Handicrafts

Wooden handicrafts are eye-catching items with traditional designs and various color options. They are made using premium quality wood carved, shaped, or crafted by hand using mechanical tools such as chisel, hammer, planer, and many more. The wood used for manufacturing handicrafts can be coated with an anti-termite coat and varnishes to prevent damage. There are made from light to high-density wood such as mahogany, oak, pine, cedar, and teak, which give a high strength-to-weight ratio with the benefit of environment friendliness.
These handcrafted items are commonly used in homes to decorate rooms, walls, study tables, console tables, side tables, and other areas to make your personal space aesthetically pleasing. These wooden artifacts are highly valued for their beauty, durability, and other unique qualities. Not just these are appealing, but they are functional too.

Types of Wooden Handicrafts

There are many different types of wooden handicrafts available that can be customized as per clients’ demands. These uniquely styled products are available in various themes; some of them are listed below:

• Carved wooden figures: They are small table-top sculptures that can be realistic or abstract and depict various things such as religious crafts, animals, people, or traditional objects.
• Wooden trays/plates: These trays are available in various size. These products are commonly used to keep as well as serve food products.
• Wooden wares: These functional items can be used for cooking or eating. They are available in several shapes and sizes with plain or decorated carvings.
• Wall hangings: These lightweight decorative products are commonly used as interior décor elements to improve the physical aesthetics of rooms and halls.
• Candle/incense stick holder: The compact and sturdy handicraft is used to create a stable platform for wax candles and incense sticks to prevent accidents due to fire.

Techniques Used in Crafting Wooden Items

Crafting wooden items with hands involves various traditional and advanced techniques or a combination of both. The fabrication method mainly depends on the items, the material used, and desired finish. Some of the most common techniques used are:

• Carving: This method involves processes, such as cutting and shaping various types of wood with the help of mechanical tools such as knives, chisels, or other cutting tools.
• Sanding: In this process, we use rough sandpaper or other abrasive elements to change the shape of the wood after it has been cut or turned to provide a high-class finish, especially at corners and edges.
• Turning: Use of heavy-duty metallic tools to remove unwanted material from a piece of wood that rotates at high speed on a lathe machine.
• Varnishing: This process involves coating wooden products with the help of varnish and various protective coatings to improve durability and physical appearance.

Wooden Handicrafts Manufacturers in India

Some of the well-known manufacturers of Wooden Handicrafts in India are:

• ROYAL INDIA EXPORTS, a 2006 established Moradabad-based company that deals in more than 183 types of handicraft products.
• NEPTUNE ENTERPRISES is a Mumbai, Maharashtra-based company that offers hand-crafted wooden products such as furniture, interior décor elements, and many more.
• JAITEX EXPORTS, based in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, the company offers a wide variety of elegant wooden products that are designed by skilled artisans using high-quality wood, traditional as well as advanced machining methods.
• U. V. OVERSEAS is a leading manufacturer, supplier, and wholesaler of decorative products such as wall plates, platters, trays, domes, and many more at affordable prices.
• THOR INSTRUMENTS CO. is a Roorkee, Uttarakhand-based manufacturer and supplier of many types of vintage products made using wood and metals.

Benefits of Wooden Handicraft

Some of the most common benefits of handicrafts for producers and consumers are listed below:

• Aesthetic appeal: These products are highly valued for their natural beauty and unique grain patterns. Handicrafts can be used in homes, offices, and other places to provide warmth, character, and style.
• Durability: Top-grade wood is used for the fabrication of these hand-made handicrafts that give a high strength-to-weight ratio with excellent wear and tear.
• Health benefits: These products provide a sensory experience that can be soothing and calming which ultimately helps to reduce stress levels and promote relaxation.
• Sustainability: As wood is a renewable resource, hence choosing wooden handicrafts over synthetic materials designer products helps to mitigate the bad impact on the environment.
• Cultural significance: The traditional design of these wooden products is used to preserve culture and religious values through generations.

FAQs: Wooden Handicrafts

Q. What are the uses of wooden handicraft?

Ans: Wooden handicrafts have a wide range of uses which includes adding beauty, warmth, and functionality to any setting. These designer products are commonly used for home decoration to create a cozy and inviting atmosphere. There are several products, such as spoons, bowls, and utensils, which are used for cooking, serving, and eating. The items such as religious figures, crosses, prayer beads, and many more also lie in the category of wooden handicrafts that are valued for their symbolic significance.

Q. What is the importance of handicraft?

Ans: Handicrafts are essential to promote harmony, preserve cultural heritage, promote sustainable livelihoods, and contribute to the economy. Their hand-crafted products reflect the cultural heritage of a particular region that help to safeguard the heritage of any region or community. The use of traditional products is directly beneficial for artisans and craftsmen in rural areas to make a living out of their art and culture. Hand-crafted items are usually made using wood, a renewable material that mitigates the risk of environmental imbalance.

Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages of wood?

Ans: Advantages:

• High durability that results in longer service life.
• Aesthetic and eye-catching design with traditional and unique grain patterns.
• Wood is renewable; it is preferred over plastic and various types of synthetic materials as it helps to reduce our impact on the environment.
• Wood can be machined into various shapes using traditional and advanced machining methods, making it versatile for creating handicrafts.

Disadvantages:

• If not coated with protective coats and varnishes, wood may get damaged by termite attacks due to its high vulnerability to pests.
• Poor moisture and water resistance.
• It may need polishing, refining, and cleaning, which makes it high maintenance material.
• Premium quality wood is expensive which ultimately makes wooden handicrafts more expensive.

Q. Which state is famous for wooden handicrafts?

Ans: India is a cultural hub and home for various cultures with respect to many religious beliefs and ethnicities. Uttar Pradesh (Saharanpur) is known for its wide market that manufactures and supplies many different types of wooden crafts, ranging from furniture to interior décor elements.