India is the world's workshop for craft.
Over 7 million artisans. Centuries of unbroken craft tradition. Competitive pricing, English-speaking vendors and improving infrastructure. There has never been a better time to source from India , and the world's largest importers already know it.
"India combines what almost no other country can: handcraft skill at scale, with a cost structure that still makes sense at retail."
Six reasons global buyers are moving to India
Craft depth no other country matches
India's artisan traditions , woodcarving in Saharanpur, brasswork in Moradabad, block printing in Jaipur, leatherwork in Kanpur , have been refined over hundreds of years. That skill base cannot be replicated in a factory in eighteen months. For buyers who need authenticity and craft story behind the product, India is the only answer.
Cost-competitive landed prices
India's combination of lower labour costs, raw material availability and improving logistics infrastructure produces landed costs that are consistently competitive , particularly for home décor, textiles and handcrafted furniture. As China's manufacturing wages have risen sharply over the past decade, India's cost advantage has widened considerably.
Rising tariffs are shifting the China equation
Increased US and EU tariffs on Chinese manufactured goods , particularly home furnishings, accessories and textiles , have materially changed the landed cost comparison. Buyers who were indifferent between China and India three years ago are now finding India 15–25% more competitive at the landed duty-paid stage.
Favourable trade arrangements
India benefits from GSP-equivalent preferential tariff arrangements with several EU member states and maintains competitive MFN rates across most of its key export categories. The India–UK Free Trade Agreement negotiations, ongoing through 2025–26, are expected to further reduce tariff barriers for UK importers of Indian home goods and textiles.
English-speaking, export-experienced vendors
Unlike some manufacturing economies where language and documentation barriers add friction and cost, India's established export vendor community communicates in English, understands international compliance requirements and is familiar with the documentation needs of EU and US buyers. Doing business is significantly more straightforward than it appears from the outside.
Origin story that sells at retail
For wholesale buyers supplying independent retail and mid-market department stores, an Indian origin story , handcrafted, artisan-made, ethically produced , is a genuine commercial asset at the shelf and in the catalogue. It is not just a sourcing decision; it is a product story that justifies margin.
The shift away from China is structural, not cyclical.
A decade ago, China was the default answer for almost every category of imported home goods. That is no longer true , and the change is not temporary. Labour cost inflation, geopolitical supply chain risk, rising tariffs in the US and EU, and a global retail appetite for provenance and craft have combined to create a durable shift in sourcing strategy.
India is not a compromise. For furniture, textiles, lighting, gifts and equestrian goods, it is the natural first choice , combining the craft tradition, the production capacity and the cost structure that buyers in Europe and North America need.
India vs. China vs. Vietnam: a sourcing comparison
India's craft clusters , where your products are made
India's production is not scattered , it is concentrated in defined clusters where generations of craftspeople, specialist suppliers and finishing workshops have built up around a single craft tradition. StoS has offices in seven of these clusters.
Jodhpur
Rajasthan
India's largest furniture export hub. Solid mango, sheesham and reclaimed wood furniture alongside iron and painted pieces. Known for its skilled joinery and hand-distressed finishes.
Jaipur
Rajasthan
The artisan capital of Rajasthan. Block printing, blue pottery, lac jewellery, printed textiles, soft furnishings and handcrafted gifts. Highly export-oriented with strong design capability.
Moradabad
Uttar Pradesh
Known globally as the "Brass City." Brass, iron, aluminium and zinc alloy homeware, lighting fixtures and decorative metalware. The cluster exports to over 100 countries.
Saharanpur
Uttar Pradesh
India's wood carving capital. Intricate sheesham and teak furniture, carved panels, decorative woodwork and painted wooden accessories , many pieces still finished entirely by hand.
Kanpur
Uttar Pradesh
India's leather capital , supplying tanneries and finished goods manufacturers for over a century. Equestrian tack, saddlery, leather accessories and riding equipment are a major specialisation.
Tuticorin
Tamil Nadu
A key South Indian textile hub with strong cotton weaving, dyeing and finishing capacity. Bed linen, throws, table linen and woven soft goods for export to EU and Australian markets.
Delhi NCR
National Capital Region
The commercial and logistics hub of Indian exports. Home to major buying houses, freight forwarders, trade fair infrastructure and coordination offices for all the surrounding clusters.
200+
Defined craft clusters across India
We source from clusters beyond our 7 offices when the brief calls for it , spices, ceramics, cane, bamboo and more. Ask us.
Trade compliance & tariff advantages
India's trade relationships with Europe and North America provide meaningful cost advantages at the landed duty-paid stage , advantages that have become more pronounced as tariff pressure on Chinese goods has increased.
Our team prepares all export documentation, ensures goods meet country-of-origin requirements, and coordinates phytosanitary, fumigation and compliance certificates where required by the destination market. You should not need to think about this , that is what we are here for.
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EU GSP / DCTS arrangementsReduced or zero duty on eligible Indian goods into EU markets under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences.
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UK trade termsIndia-UK FTA negotiations in progress; current MFN rates favour Indian home goods and textiles over Chinese equivalents post-Brexit.
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US tariff positionIndia faces significantly lower Section 301 and additional tariff exposure than China , a material landed cost advantage for US importers of furniture and accessories.
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Certificate of originWe prepare GSP Form A and non-preferential certificates of origin for all shipments, correctly classifying goods to maximise the tariff benefit available to your market.
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REACH & product complianceWe work with vendors to meet EU REACH, CA65 and other destination-market chemical and material compliance requirements , particularly relevant for painted furniture, leather goods and textiles.
Ready to move your sourcing to India?
We handle the transition , vendor identification, sample development, compliance and logistics. You get Indian product, landed, without having to build a team on the ground.