At a time when the world is grappling with record-high pollution—from plastic waste to air contamination—and witnessing the decline of cultural heritage, Kerala, fondly known as God’s Own Country, is quietly scripting a story of sustainable and cultural revival. At the heart of this transformation is the Kerala Arts and Crafts Village (KACV), an initiative that seamlessly blends traditional crafts with eco-conscious and inclusive community development.
From its inception, KACV set out with a clear mission: to create a greener, cleaner village. What was once an uninhabitable patch of land has been transformed into a thriving ecosystem. Today, birds chirp, butterflies flit, and trees sway across the rejuvenated landscape, all nurtured by daily care and community commitment.
Spanning 8.5 acres in Vellar, Kovalam (Thiruvananthapuram), the village is now home to over 100 skilled artisans and as many studios. Though the village flag is red, the ethos is undeniably green. The space also hosts artist residencies, attracting artists from over 15 countries, fostering a vibrant exchange of local and global artistic traditions.
KACV is the brainchild of the Government of Kerala’s Tourism Department and was designed and developed by the Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society (ULCCS). Celebrating over a century of operations, ULCCS has grown into the world’s second-largest industrial and utilities cooperative.
There is a difference between a corporation and a cooperative, notes ULCCS Chairman Rameshan Paleri. Unlike a corporate, which puts money into its pockets, cooperatives don’t pocket the money, it belongs to the people. KACV is a testament to the people centric approach.
KACV and SDGs
KACV boasts over 3,000 artefacts on display and more than 100 live studios. These offer practical, beautiful, and sustainable alternatives to mass-produced plastic goods.
The village promotes the philosophy that sustainability can be achieved through meticulous planning ranging from gender neutral washrooms to disability-friendly infrastructure.
More than a marketplace, the village is a thriving ecosystem that blends culture, sustainability, and equity. Local women artisans are being supported via workshops for skill development and events like Wow Women Week which showcases their achievements and motivates them to further improve their skills leading to achieving SDG5 on gender equality by increasing opportunities to participate in local economies.
According to Manoj K. Puthiyavila, Press Information Officer, ULCCS, “Through our operations, we are working towards achievement of 13 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. We take great care to ensure that every item is ethically sourced, guided by fair practices and a deep commitment to sustainability. The well-being of the people who create these crafts is not just important to us — it’s our purpose.”
SDG 1 is sought to be achieved by focusing on eliminating poverty, SDG 8 is sought to be met by upskilling and fostering economic growth, SDG 10 is sought to be met by reducing inequalities by inclusion, and SDG 11 is sought to be achieved by developing sustainable cities and communities.
Art Against Plastic Pollution
Introduction of plastic made products had a crippling effect on the traditional craftsmanship. Handmade items like wood combs, coir jewellery, coconut shell cups and water hyacinth containers have been replaced by economical, extensive carbon footprint plastic variations. This has led to mass scale pollution of the world environment.
KACV provides shoppers with eco-friendly alternatives like jewellery made from recycled paper, seeds, terracotta, wood pens, containers made from natural fibres like water hyacinth, jute etc. KACV works on the philosophy that the best way to attain sustainability is through tradition, culture, and deriving everything from nature. For example a wood comb or hand bound diary are much better than their plastic counterparts when it comes to saving the environment.
The display of jewellery box (Nettur box) dating back to more than 450 years is there to remind people that craftsmanship and sustainability are not new concepts, but part of a long, local tradition.
People and Planet Centric
At KACV open studios invite visitors to engage directly with artisans practising mural painting, terracotta sculpting, handloom weaving, and metalwork. This fosters a deeper understanding of both the cultural heritage and the sustainable practices embedded within.
Puthiyavila highlights the importance of empowering artisans, “We create opportunities for artisans to sell their work directly to customers and protect them from middlemen and ensure their craft is valued, respected, and fairly rewarded.”
Apart from seeking to realise the goal of cultural preservation KACV is also helping the artisans earn a respectable livelihood through fair wages which is an important SDG. Focus on programmes like skill development, public exhibitions, educational events and many more help in enhancing the quality of the life of artisans.
Present Problems; Past Solutions
Artisans are well aware of the benefits of the natural materials over synthetic ones. Fabrics like cotton, linen, wool, silk and linen are biodegradable as well as fire resistant and their production uses much less resources, thereby helping in reducing the carbon footprint. Handloom and handmade production methods also use significantly less energy, helping to reduce the carbon footprint. Moreover, handloom products showcase an opportunity for improving the environment because its synthetic alternatives like polyester and nylon are petroleum-based and harmful when disposed of improperly.
A grass-made drum, a clay voice amplifier, or a recycled diary can serve the same purpose as their plastic counterparts—without harming the environment and usage of fossil fuels. Additionally, the dyed used is also from natural sources like onion peels.
KACV shows how the past can help nurture a more sustainable present. It emphasises on choosing sustainable material over disposable material and appeals to every being to be a little more responsible and considerate towards the only planet.
Every visitor and customer can re-evaluate his/ her decisions about every present gifted, every comb used, and every bag carried. Here, culture is not only upheld but also lived to address challenges of today.
The writer visited Kerala Arts and Crafts Village (KACV) in Vellar in Kovalam (Thiruvananthapuram) at the invitation of the organisation.
