In the latest episode of Impulse Model Entrepreneur Stories, the spotlight shines on Taniya Banerjee, the founder of Cluttercraft, a thriving Instagram store based in Siliguri. The episode, directed by documentary filmmaker Lewis Levent Özcan, captures Taniya’s journey as an entrepreneur creating handmade goods and accessories that are inspired by nature and art.
Taniya, a nature enthusiast and art lover, embarked on her entrepreneurial path during the pandemic. What began as a personal project to cope with mental health, with the help of her mother, blossomed into a successful business. Through Cluttercraft, she revives traditional crafts such as embroidery, crochet, and stamp embroidery, breathing new life into these time-honoured skills. Her handmade products, filled with the love, time, and effort she puts into every piece, have garnered a loyal following online.
Describing herself as an ‘old soul’, Taniya cherishes the art of handcrafted work, something she deeply celebrates through her business. Her commitment to reviving and promoting handmade crafts not only reflects her passion but also aligns with the growing trend of supporting local artisans and sustainable products.
Taniya’s story is part of a larger initiative by Impulse Empower, a platform under Impulse Social Enterprises, which captures and shares the success stories of small and medium-sized businesses across the Northeast and North Bengal. This project, supported by Meta India and produced by the Impulse NGO Network, aims to highlight how entrepreneurs are playing a vital role in boosting the local economy and creating job opportunities.
By empowering these local entrepreneurs, the initiative works towards fostering economic upliftment in the region, helping to prevent unsafe migration and exploitation. Through stories like Taniya’s, the series demonstrates how local businesses are contributing to sustainable market growth and resilience in their communities.
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Filmmaker Lewis Levent Özcan, an Impulse Empower Incubation Hub Entrepreneur in Residence, travelled across the eight states of the North East and North Bengal to document stories of system change. The production team behind this initiative includes Gezmek Films, under the direction of Özcan, and producer Hasina Kharbhih, with media support from Impulse Model Press Lab and EastMojo.
The Impulse Model Entrepreneur Stories initiative continues to celebrate the remarkable work of local entrepreneurs, showcasing how their ventures are transforming their communities and driving economic progress.
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