Think Arts and Crafts is dying? Think again

Think that the little scrap book and stars and inserts big sister used to glue inside it as a little hobby, or

granny crocheting a tea cosy is over due to the rise in technology and digital photography, think again.

Concerned parents and teachers alike are spearheading a growth in the arts and craft industry in a bid to try lure children away from the ever worrying

dependency on smart phones and computers.

Face TimeConcerned parents and teachers alike are

spearheading a growth in the arts and craft industry in a bid to try lure children

away from the ever worrying dependency on smart phones and computers.

Creative EntrepreneursAlong with entrepreneurs who are making strides in creating their own designer prestige packaging

for the jewelry industry, designer soap makers, and cake making DIY enthusiasts who saw the

opportunity to grow during this new entrepreneurial age of small business growth

online.

18 Billion USDThe arts and crafts industry is currently globally worth

around a whopping 18 Billion USD. The two largest companies; Michaels and Hobby Lobby

making up around half the total market, with shops all over the US and Europe sell handmade paper and scrap book

supplies to a new generation of young people who recognize the therapeutic benefits of an artistic distraction, as well as parents and educators who are well aware of the

education benefits of stimulating a child’s Imagination.

Imagine the futureit is said that when a child goes to school they can think of over 50 uses for an elastic band, yet when they are leaving school they struggle to think of 5

uses. Imagination plays a vital role in any enterprise; therefore brain storming sessions

require deep raking of ones grey matter to come up with new ideas for the business, so things need

to change!

Whats in your imagination?Governments across the Western world are hailing

the contribution of small business to their economies and the vital part imagination plays in

this, and this stems all the way to the Kindergartens where imagination is born, so

parents are now probing Head Masters about the level of Arts and Craft facilities available to

students at schools.

Can you draw me a map?The US and UK have traditionally been the main purveyors of arts and craft

products, however the last decade has seen a rise in the demand for arts from China, which has become the global leading in demand for fine arts.

Asia as a continent supplies around 100 Million USD in Handicrafts to the global market, Thailand being the prominent producers of fibre based objects, and

provides additional employment and raise the level of living for both rural and urban populations. This industry plays a vital role in the economic development

of the rural peoples and earns substantial foreign exchange.Europe is worth circa 25.3 million non-primary private enterprises, out of which

99.8% are craft and small and medium-sized enterprises. Craft-trades play a significant role in most of the European countries The Crafts and small businesses employ more than 66% of Europe’s workforce i.e. around 98 million people. Small

enterprises and craft businesses are a prominent source of jobs and a petri dish for business ideas

What’s the green point of view?The green generation, those who are uber-aware of the rape of natural resources, are behind a rise of recycling

businesses, green business owners who insist on only using companies with a socially sustainable record, have carved a

way into the arts and craft industry by creating desirable objects and their imaginative reconstruction of old

discontinued items, extending their look and functionality. For business this is a major touch point and social

awareness is very much a part of blue chip business web sites.

Now is the time for CreativityNever been a better time to visit South East Asia and

see what new arts and crafts the people of ASEAN are creating. The current rise in the Thai baht for example, means a wine presentation bag made from beautiful robust Mulberry paper would be a lot cheaper to buy

now than it was two years ago, as well as accommodation and travel.

Mulberry Paper from ThailandChiang Mai Bonaka is a world leader in the arts and crafts supply

world and Mulberry paper creations direct from the trees grown in Northern Thailand and they have a sustainable business and employ local people with centuries old skills passed down generations. They

do not cut any trees down; making a carbon footprint any green company would kill for.

You can download brochures or see their shop direct and they have a few great blogs too.

Info@mulberrypaperthailand.com