DeLaChamba: Handicrafts Sustainable E-Commerce
In Colombia, handcraft work is undervalued. Usually, customers ask for discounts when buying handcrafted pieces. This behavior not only dismisses the work of the handicrafters but also discourages further generations continue to maintain their traditions. On the other hand, handicrafts’ design is usually traditional and old-fashioned. People like to use them to bring cultural value to their homes but don’t intend to use them in their daily routines.
We founded DeLaChamba as a solution to these problems. Our goal was to offer modern-designed pieces handcrafted with traditional techniques that increase the value both to crafters and customers. Adapting the pieces’ design would increase the customers’ interest in these products and make the traditions sustainable in time.
“We wanted to bring modern handcrafted pieces back to daily household routines.”
“Our dream was to see new generations valuing handcraft work and using our modern pieces in a fancy dinner hosted at their house.”
“New generations of handcrafters would keep their interest in preserving their traditions.”
Product Mission
To increase the value of traditional handcrafted pieces, making their commercialization sustainable in time.
Product Vision
DeLaChamba brings closer traditional handcrafters and customers who value sustainability and slow production. Our innovative online shop offers modern unique hand-crafted household utensils. Unlike traditional marketing channels, we promote a sustainable commercialization model that sponsors handcrafters’ innovation projects and continuous training.
“Keeping its traditional essence, we wanted to optimize the production process to make it competitive and sustainable in time.”
“We would implement innovative strategies that reduce the waste rate of the production process, making it more efficient.”
“We will sponsor these innovation strategies by dedicating a fixed percentage of the revenue to this purpose.”
Achievements
- We sponsored the development of new techniques for firing the pieces of pottery. In particular, we designed a kind of support that allowed us to increase the capacity of the ovens and reduce waste in dishes production by 70%.
- We achieved the exposure of our project in government media at the regional level.
Product Roadmap
First release
- Identify the first handcrafters community.
- Invite one of the handcrafters’ families to be part of the project. Define together the team’s goals and expectations.
- Take some photos of the products that the family was offering.
- Offer the products to specific audiences and evaluate their receptiveness.
- Get feedback from potential customers, and adapt the first products to match their expectations.
Second Release
- Identify the item that drove more attention from potential customers. And create a new design for it according to the initial feedback.
- Create a minimum viable product and offer it to potential customers.
- Sell the first order of the new product.
- Receive feedback and adapt.
Third Release
- Improve the marketing strategy in social networks.
- Develop new designs according to customers’ feedback.
- Continue selling more products over social networks.
Fourth Release
- Create a website to offer the products.
- Continue developing new designs and selling products online.
- Involve another family of handcrafters’ in the project.
