The Sunday Mail
Trade Focus
Allan Majuru
BASKET weavers from Binga have lived off the craft for generations.
Their products are mainly sold in Bulawayo, Victoria Falls and Harare. The key selling point for the baskets, especially from Binga, is that they are more about the Tonga culture.
However, thanks to current efforts by President Mnangagwa’s administration to open new markets for diversified local products, there has been a growing interest in local crafts in international markets.
Although some crafts from Binga are already in international markets, the basket weavers have little to show for their work.
This is because most of the exports are through middlemen, who, in most cases, visit Binga to exchange crafts with groceries and clothes. To address this challenge, ZimTrade – the national trade development and promotion organisation — has been creating platforms to link international buyers directly with producers. For example, ZimTrade facilitated the participation of local groups of art producers at the Ambiente Trade Fair, the largest arts and crafts exhibition in Germany.
Linking with buyers is, however, one leg of the export journey, as crafters need to produce products that meet buyers’ requirements.
Capacity building is, therefore, a crucial intervention that should help bridge the gap between local crafters and international buyers. With buyers seeking functional art, most inquiries coming through for local arts and crafts are varied.
To decide on colours, shapes and sizes is an elaborate process that needs crafters to deploy both financial resources, as well as time.
This challenge is not only peculiar to weavers in Binga but also at most centres around Matabeleland that similarly produce baskets, most of which are invariably brown in colour.
This has presented an unusual headache for the talented crafters.
For example, the traditional Binga/Tonga basket is round and naturally light to dark brown in colour because of the ilala palm that is used to make it. The fact that the basket is rooted in local culture and producers have been accustomed to specific production processes that have been passed from generation to generation, producing for consumers in international markets is proving to be a challenge.
Although the baskets have a unique space in markets, there are consumer dynamics that need local producers to consider and incorporate in local designs.
To address this challenge for weavers in Matabeleland North, ZimTrade recently engaged the services of a design and product development expert from its Netherlands-based partner, PUM, to share knowledge and skills. This engagement sought to empower locals on how best to meet the requirements of consumers in Europe and other international markets.
This is in line with feedback received from local exhibitors participating in ZimTrade-led international trade fairs.
It is worth noting, however, that the information shared during the two-week long engagement in February with each of the cluster members in the five districts applies not only to arts and crafts, but also to various other industries and sectors where companies seek to pursue new product development as a strategy for excelling in export markets.
Analysing trends
It is important for any company wishing to develop new products to first seek to understand the changing trends followed by their customers. A trend can simply be defined as what is “popular or fashionable at a time”, and in industries such as fashion and décor. Trends often change. Local arts and crafts producers must deliberately find trends they can tap into and develop new designs.
This would allow local exporters to develop fitting products.
A simple online search in lifestyle magazines, journals, blogs and home décor shows in the international media and on social media sites such as Instagram could help.
Producing arts and crafts for known tastes, styles and requirements will make it easy for products to find potential buyers.
One of the current trends in basket weaving is fusing different materials, including leather, in developing the product.
Building recognisable brands known for consistently superior quality was also said to be a good way of locking down higher-value clients. For local weavers, the PUM expert noted that the shape, sizes, textures, materials used and overall functionality of the product are key determinant factors that will affect purchase.
Understanding buyer behaviour
Woven crafts appeal to a certain market, and within that market, there are a lot of options buyers can choose from.
In order to stand out, local crafters must first understand considerations that are made by buyers, for example, price.
A number of factors affect the price — and these may include, but not limited to, production processes, raw materials used, shipping and handling costs, general market prices and demand for the product.
There are a number of costs incurred by buyers before the product lands on their shelf and these include storage, handling, merchandising and other costs. Crafters are, therefore, encouraged to consider using designs, patterns and products that will not only be profitable for them but also affordable for the final end user. Where similar products take the same amount of time to produce — for instance, a fruit bowl and a lampshade — crafters are encouraged to opt for the lampshades that would ordinarily fetch higher prices than simple basket fruit bowls.
Regulations also affect buyer decisions, depending on the product and markets they operate in. For example, issues around sustainable use of natural resources are changing how buyers purchase arts and crafts in international markets, with some opting for products made from recycled materials, which reportedly save the environment.
Crafters must then be well-versed with the regulations and other global dynamics that affect buyers’ attitudes towards products.
Marketing new products
With the internet connecting people beyond borders, efforts must be put into marketing newly developed products.
This can be through the establishment of websites, social media pages, cold calling or emailing. Creating online brochures and catalogues also helps drive orders, but the photography used should be of high quality.
Participating in relevant trade fairs and export promotion events such as those organised by ZimTrade is highly encouraged.
Obtaining product certifications
To protect themselves, buyers are more attracted to products that have certifications from recognisable international bodies such as FairTrade, as these assure both the buyer and the end user that the products are safe and that fair production methods were used in producing the crafts, especially where people, animals and the environment were not harmed in the process.
Allan Majuru is ZimTrade’s chief executive officer
