India’s rich heritage of handicrafts and handlooms has captivated the world, but the artisans behind these masterpieces have faced numerous challenges for decades. From middlemen taking a cut of their earnings to selling their products at lower prices, and even struggling to access funds for product development, their plight has been a longstanding issue. To put an end to this severe problem, Rare Planet started its journey in 2015.
In the bustling city of Kolkata, amidst the vibrant tapestry of Indian culture and heritage, a young visionary named Ranodeep Saha embarked on a journey that would change the lives of local artisans and reshape the Indian handicraft industry. His brainchild, Rare Planet, started as a humble initiative with a mission to provide sustainable income to artisans and promote authentic indigenous crafts. Today, it stands tall as a symbol of empowerment and creativity, bridging the gap between tradition and modernity.
The Inspiring Chapters (formerly ConflatingVisions) interviewed Ranodeep in 2016 when his startup was less than a year old. In that session, we saw an ambitious and equally energetic person in him. 7 years later, we explored the journey of Rare Planet once again to see how his innovative startup is performing. The Inspiring Chapters did a detailed research on Rare Planet to share the inspiring journey of Ranodeep and Rare Planet Handicrafts.
A Heartbreak that Created Rare Planet
The journey of Rare Planet began in June 2015, when Ranodeep was pursuing BTech at the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Kalyani. During that time, he experienced a breakup with his girlfriend. Rather than succumbing to negativity like many teenagers, he chose a different path. To cope with the emotions, he channelled his energy into creating things his girlfriend cherished. These creative pursuits led to the birth of Rare Planet.
Early Days
The idea of crafting unique handicrafts came to Ranodeep when he stumbled upon a dusty earthen pot lying unused outside his house. Determined to breathe new life into it, he used a paintbrush and colours to transform it into a masterpiece, embellishing it with a Harry Potter symbol. This small yet significant act sparked his journey.
Encouraged by the praises he received from friends for his first creation, Ranodeep began recycling old bottles, earthen pots, and coffee mugs, turning them into remarkable pieces of art. The underlying philosophy of Rare Planet is that unique things are rare, and Ranodeep’s creations exemplified this notion perfectly.
The visionary founder always wanted to make a difference in the society, especially in the lives of the Indian artisans. Rare Planet initially focused on selling terracotta kulhads (tea cups) both online and offline. These kulhads were not just ordinary ones. They were developed, crafted, and painted with careful consideration to make them reusable and microwave-proof, setting them apart in the market.
Vijay Kumar, a seasoned expert in the retail and lifestyle industry, joined as a co-founder in 2019. His experiences helped in expanding the company’s vision and capabilities. Today, Rare Planet has evolved into a Kolkata-based retail lifestyle startup with a diverse product line, encompassing handicrafts, stationary, jewellery, pottery, bottles, and home decor made from a variety of materials like terracotta, copper, ceramic, brass, wood, and marble.
Rare Planet Handicrafts Empowering Local Artisans
The core mission of Rare Planet Handicrafts is to empower local artisans and promote authentic Indian handicrafts. They have taken a unique approach to achieve this goal. When an order comes in, their in-house team designs and lists the products. The designs are then handed over to a cluster of artisans. Once the product is ready, the startup ensures swift payment to the craftsmen within three days. This happens because of the support from its NBFC partners in bill discounting. This timely payment empowers artisans to reinvest in their craft and build the next product. This in turn creates a sustainable income source for them.
The innovative designs and modern touches added by Rare Planet have resulted in higher income for the artisans. Some of them even experienced up to 130-150 percent more earnings. Moreover, the startup also helps artisans access loans and acquire necessary machinery and tools, further boosting their productivity and livelihoods.
Partnerships and Growth Story of Rare Planet India
Rare Planet India presently has collaboration with over 3,000 local artisans across five states. It operates as a direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand with a robust online presence and partnerships with over 60 stores, including popular names like Crossword, Starmark, WH Smith, and SAPNA Books.
Rare Planet Handicrafts are also available in their stores at major airports in India. They managed to attract plenty of visitors to their airport stores to purchase their handcrafted materials for their loved ones.
A Rare Planet Store in the airports is one of a kind. Ranodeep and Vijay have plans to open more stores at most of the airports in India to scale up sales.
A Rare Planet Store at the Bengaluru Airport (Source)
The products from Rare Planet India are available on their official website. It has also partnered with major e-commerce platforms like Flipkart, Amazon, and MenXp to sell their products. Having recorded a substantial annual run rate of Rs 6 crore before the pandemic, Rare Planet’s pivot to online sales during the COVID-19 period ensured a steady income for their artisans.
Funding and Future Plans
The startup’s success story attracted investors, leading to a pre-Series A funding round of Rs 3.5 crore from Uni-M Ventures, Venture Catalysts, and Sagar Daryani, Co-Founder of Wow! Momo, in October 2020. Previously, it also managed to raise Rs. 1.1 crore from Venture Catalysts in its seed round of funding in 2019. Ranodeep Saha and Vijay Kumar took the stage of Shark Tank India in 2021 with the hope to raise funds. They were successful to convince one shark Namita Thapar to invest in their business. They bagged a final deal of Rs. 65 lakhs investment for 3% equity in Rare Planet.
The vision for the future is ambitious. Rare Planet Handicrafts aims to collaborate with a larger number of artisans from various regions like Kutch, Jodhpur, Madhubani, Nadia, Saharanpur, Cuttack, and Puri in the next few years. Additionally, they plan to expand their offline partnerships, particularly in retail outlets across more Indian airports.
In a market estimated to be worth $7 to $8 billion, Rare Planet Handicrafts stands tall among notable players like World Art Community, Authindia, Sanskriitii, Craftsvilla, and Gaatha Handicrafts, offering not just products but also a brighter future for India’s talented artisans.
You can explore Rare Planet’s products on Amazon India from the link below.
