In order to boost its seller base, online retailer Flipkart is keen to reach out to the handicraft sector. The online retailer has tied up with the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). According to the agreement, students and the Flipkart team will work to integrate the local weavers and artisans for end consumers.

The first pilot of the project will begin over the next two weeks at Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency.

Out of NIFT’s 15 centres across the country, five — Hyderabad, Mumbai, Gandhinagar, Chennai and Delhi — have shown interest to be part of the project. Flipkart staff will be deployed in various cities to coordinate with the local artisans, who can also take support from fashion-designing students at NIFT about market trends and consumer interests. While Banarasi saris will be the focus, products like leather purses, bags and laptop and ipad covers will also find place in the list of shopping items.

Students can now use Flipkart’s market intelligence and logistics expertise to develop private labels and also build on their entrepreneurial skills. “We will act like an incubator,” said Joy Bandekar, president (strategy) at Flipkart.

According to estimates, Varanasi has about 40,000 weavers, while Barabanki, another city in Uttar Pradesh, has 10,000 engaged in various forms of handicraft. Flipkart plans to target about 15,000 weavers in Sultanpur, too.

Earlier, the e-retailer had signed a memorandum of understanding with the labour ministry for skill development of its employees, and the textiles ministry to reach small and medium manufacturers. A few months ago, it also signed a deal with Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises to reach its target of 50,000 sellers by the end of this financial year.

While Snapdeal, Flipkart’s domestic rival, is already way ahead in the race with 30,000 sellers, American giant Amazon has been on an expansion spree with about 6,500 sellers. Flipkart’s stands at about 3,000 and it is eyeing an ambitious target of 50,000 by the end of this year.