Emerging Online Platforms Propel Traditional Handicrafts to Unknown Audiences Among Youthful Uzbeks
Emerging Online Platforms Propel Traditional Handicrafts to Unknown Audiences Among Youthful Uzbeks
The tradition persists today. Twenty-four-year-old Aziza Tojiyeva, residing in a tranquil village approximately 50 kilometers (30 miles) away from Bukhara, Uzbekistan, inherited her embroidery skills from her mother, Mukhabbat Kuchkarova, who gained her expertise from her foremother. As Tojiyeva shared, "I was born into an embroidery family; from a young age, I was drawn to this craft."
Tojiyeva is the pioneer in selling these masterpieces online, leveraging platforms such as Etsy, Instagram and eBay. She utilizes digital technology to propel the centuries-old craft tradition into a promising future. Every week, she dispatches two to three items, ranging from throw cushions to bedspreads, on Etsy, and a handful more on other platforms. The majority of her clientele hail from the US, yet she also caters to customers in regions like Spain, Italy and the UK.
Digital sales make up an estimated 2% of retail sales in Uzbekistan, in comparison to roughly 25% in the US and surpassing 30% in China, according to accounting firm KPMG. A considerable number of craftspeople in Uzbekistan – such as knife makers and carpet weavers – have yet to embrace digital technology. However, innovators like Tojiyeva demonstrate how individuals with traditional backgrounds utilize technology to infiltrate international markets.
As stated by Dr. Indira Alibayeva, a postdoctoral researcher at Kazakhstan’s Nazarbayev University’s Research Centre for Entrepreneurship (NURCE), "The younger generation... they are adept at using digital media, and they’re aiding their parents or grandparents in presenting their products to the world." Alibayeva contributed to a publication titled, "Roots of Heritage: Honoring Hunarmandchilik Tradition in Uzbekistan," focusing on craftspeople in Uzbekistan, which contains a chapter on Tojiyeva.
Economic transformation
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of tourists visiting Bukhara, famous for its Silk Road heritage, significantly decreased. Tojiyeva endeavored to facilitate her family in finding a new revenue source. After conducting online research, she established her business on Etsy and other platforms.
The family's business journey is closely intertwined with Uzbekistan's economic progression.
Uzbekistan underwent Russian rule in the 19th century, nearly extinguishing the centuries-old Uzbek craftsmanship. During the Soviet era, craftspeople, from suzanis and carpet makers to potters, were obligated to work in factories to serve the planned economic machine. Nevertheless, people persevered with their crafts. "Uzbek identity is fundamentally about being an artisan; no matter what profession you pursue, you contribute with your hands," said Yousafzai.
Upon gaining independence in 1991, handicrafts experienced a renaissance. Many transformed their hobbies into income. In 2000, Tojiyeva's parents established an embroidery business and began selling their wares at the local bazaar.
As of today, the average monthly income in Uzbekistan falls below $400. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is advocating for reforms to decrease government influence on the economy and promote private enterprise, aim to raise per capita GDP and alleviate poverty. Diverse initiatives encompass attracting tourists, expanding the capital city, and supporting industries from startups to handicrafts with tax breaks and incentives.
In 2017, the liberalization of the foreign exchange market enabled entrepreneurs to receive online sales revenue from abroad in an Uzbek bank account, as stated by Muzaffar Azamov, head of the E-Commerce Association of Uzbekistan.
From yurt seat cushions to high-end interior design
Suzanis are currently experiencing a renaissance, in Uzbekistan and beyond. Fashion-conscious Uzbeks don garments made of suzani fabric, and suzanis have captured the attention of interior designers from the UK to Singapore, who utilize them as wall decor, bedding or as the material for throw pillows. Yousafzai attributes this trend to the increase in popularity of Uzbekistan as a tourist destination.
In addition to Etsy, Instagram and eBay, Tojiyeva's family also sells products to tourists visiting their in-home museum, exhibiting their sewing techniques.
She shared that she has recurring online clients in the US who sell her items in their home decor stores; some of them found her through her posts on Pinterest – a favorite platform of interior design enthusiasts – where she markets her products.
On Tojiyeva's Etsy page, throw pillows cost around $90. A pillow might take 10 to 15 days to complete; an embroiderer can only work for about two hours daily, otherwise, her eyes and fingers might be harmed. Highly detailed tapestries may fetch costs exceeding $600.
Tojiyeva is not the sole individual in this field. Others in the country have ventured onto online platforms to sell items such as chapans, a robe-like garment, and Gijduvan ceramics, a craft originating in Bukhara in the 3rd century AD. Efforts are underway to encourage more sellers to go online; early adopters have instructed others, and eBay has an Central Asia Hub that showcases products from the region, a project supported by USAID and other development agencies.
E-commerce has the potential to decrease poverty levels, enhance social mobility, and provide job opportunities for numerous individuals, asserted Azamov. Due to the Uzbek population's modest buying capacity, international markets could hold significant significance, he suggested further.
Tojiyeva shares her mother's appreciation for the surge in sales. The family enterprise now collaborates with approximately 200 women from rural communities to meet their order requirements, she explained.
However, Tojiyeva views it as more than just a commercial enterprise. "It's a form of meditation when you stitch. All other thoughts flee away," she says. "And when you create something beautiful, you feel content."
Tojiyeva's online sales on Etsy and other platforms have expanded the reach of traditional Uzbek embroidery, with the majority of her customers coming from the US but also including those from Spain, Italy, and the UK.
The transformation of Uzbekistan's economy under President Mirziyoyev has seen various initiatives to support industries, including handicrafts, with tax breaks and incentives, aiming to raise per capita GDP and alleviate poverty.