ekip Policy Recommendations: Crafts-led innovation

Crafts-led innovation involves harnessing artistic and traditional craft skills, knowledge, and techniques to develop new ideas, products, or services. Crafts such as weaving, pottery, wood carving, leatherworking, and glassblowing play a key role in frugal innovation—creating high-quality solutions that maximize value at minimal cost. By leveraging resource constraints, traditional crafts contribute to cost-effective, sustainable solutions while preserving cultural heritage. Conversely, innovation enhances the preservation and societal value of traditional crafts.

The fourth ekip Policy Lab explored the challenges in crafts-led innovation and actions needed to foster the role of crafts in open innovation ecosystems in Europe. Based on the discussions with and input from participants in the Policy Lab as well as further refinement in the Community Review Workshop and background research, a series of recommendations were developed to foster crafts-led innovation and tackle its challenges.

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