Bidri 3D Printing Lab
Traditional craft | Digital fabrication | Design innovation
The Bidri 3D Printing Lab explores how digital fabrication can support and strengthen the traditional Bidri craft of Karnataka.
The project brings together artisan knowledge, design and 3D printing technology to investigate new approaches to making, prototyping and production. Rather than replacing traditional craftsmanship, the aim is to identify areas where technology can complement the artisan's skills, improve processes and open up new possibilities for the craft.
Through experimentation and collaboration, the Lab is exploring how contemporary tools can work alongside traditional knowledge—creating opportunities for greater efficiency, innovation and sustainability while retaining the distinctive character of Bidri craftsmanship.Â
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AFDF is looking to expand the training to more artisans with your support.Â
Project Re:Collect
Preserving Memories. Creating Livelihoods.
Clothes often carry memories long after they have stopped being worn—a favourite sari, a child's first uniform, a grandfather's shirt. Project Memory explores how these cherished textiles can be transformed into handcrafted keepsakes while creating new livelihood opportunities for women.
The pilot will train 20–30 women in textile upcycling, sewing, product finishing and basic costing and pricing. Participants will develop an initial range of Memory Keepsakes, including tote bags, fabric journals, cushions, photo frames and other textile-based products.
The project combines livelihood development with textile reuse, giving discarded or unused textiles a new life while building skills and opportunities for women from underserved communities. Project Memory is envisioned as the first step towards a larger women-led textile upcycling enterprise.
Artisan Upskilling
Design skills | Product photography | Creative confidence | Livelihood development
Building sustainable livelihoods requires more than technical craft skills. Artisans also need opportunities to develop new ways of designing, presenting and taking their products to market. In February 2026, AFDF, in collaboration with Club Artizen and Satya Special School, conducted practical workshops in product photography and product design for women artisans associated with Satya.
The photography workshop introduced participants to cameras and mobile photography, lighting, framing, composition and basic editing, enabling them to document their own products more effectively. 19 participants took part. The two-day design workshop introduced 34 women to colour, proportion, composition, material combinations and design thinking.
Participants worked hands-on with low-cost techniques to develop new product ideas and explore ways of moving from traditional skills towards contemporary products. The workshops also reinforced an important part of AFDF’s approach: training needs to respond to the actual needs and existing capabilities of participants, resulting in a more foundational and experiential approach.
AR Virataparvam Experience
Immersive Itihasa | Cheriyal art | Augmented reality | Cultural storytelling
AR Virataparvam is an immersive cultural experience that brings together traditional Cheriyal scroll painting and augmented reality to reimagine how India's epic narratives can be experienced by contemporary audiences.
The experience is built around Virataparvam, an intricate Cheriyal artwork depicting the episode from the Mahabharata in which the Pandavas live in disguise during their exile. Visitors first encounter the hand-painted artwork as a traditional work of art; through augmented reality, the painting then becomes an entry point into the story, bringing its characters, scenes and narrative to life.
The project was developed in association with Club Artizen and One Immersive, with Cheriyal artist D. Nageswar contributing the artwork. It was presented at the Hyderabad Literary Festival 2026, where visitors experienced the combination of visual art, storytelling and AR technology.
The project is part of the broader Immersive Itihasa series, which explores how technology can extend traditional narrative art forms without displacing the artisan or the original artwork. The approach places artisan attribution and authorship at the centre, while creating new ways for audiences—particularly younger audiences—to engage with living cultural traditions.
[Image Placeholder: AR Virataparvam Experience]
OMRt- Experiencing the Joy of Handmade
hands-on making | craft appreciation | artisan interactionÂ
OMRt is an AFDF initiative that brings people together with artisans and craft practitioners through hands-on workshops.
Participants learn traditional and contemporary craft techniques—from weaving and bookbinding to ceramics—while experiencing the skill, creativity and time that go into handmade work.
The workshops are designed to build awareness and appreciation of handmade, while creating opportunities for people to connect directly with makers and understand craft as a living skill, livelihood and form of cultural knowledge.
Coming soon
