100% pure silk products from Silk Mark Authorised Users will now be available to millions of Amazon customers

This collaboration will impact over 4,200 Silk Mark Authorised Users spread across India and numerous silk farmers, weavers and craftsmen working with them

Bangalore, November 4, 2020: Amazon India today announced that the company has signed an MoU with the Silk Mark Organization of India (SMOI).  As part of the MoU, Amazon will launch an exclusive Silk Mark Store with Silk Mark labelled products through multiple sellers associated with the organization. Through this collaboration, Amazon.in will have a significant impact on the lives of numerous weavers and craftsmen associated with more than 4,200 Silk Mark Authorised Users across the country. The launch will help showcase over 3000 products initially and customers will get access to Silk Mark assured genuine 100% pure silk products like sarees, dress materials, salwar kameez sets, scarves, stoles, jackets, shirts, ties, etc.

Silk Mark Authorised Users and numerous weavers and craftsmen associated with them will be part of Amazon Karigar, a program that enables weavers, artisans and micro-entrepreneurs to come online and access a wider market base through Amazon. Sellers’ part of Silk Mark Organization of India (SMOI) will be able to avail additional benefits by selling their products on the Amazon India marketplace including discounted referral fees, support with shipping and delivery of products, imaging and marketing support, technical training and business and sales support. This association will also enable an expansion of the customer base for these weavers and sellers, bringing in greater recognition for their work and providing more employment opportunities.

Commenting on the partnership with Silk Mark Organisation of India, Pranav Bhasin, Head- MSME Empowerment and Seller Experience at Amazon India said: “Artisans and weavers are a key part of our community and are in need of support to reach customers. At Amazon, our vision is to empower and encourage the growth of artisans and weavers in our mission to bring all forms of Indian crafts online and expand the selection for customers. We are focused on enabling small and medium sellers to embrace online selling and expand their business. The launch of Silk Mark labeled products through our association will enable thousands of weavers across India to sell online and reach millions of Amazon customers.”

Silk Mark certification is an initiative of the Central Silk Board, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. Silk Mark certified products come with the Silk Mark Label. These are affixed only on pure silk products by the Authorised Users of Silk Mark. Each label has a hologram and a unique number printed on it which helps the consumer trace the product back to the Authorised User. The launch of Silk Mark certified products ahead of the ensuing wedding season on Amazon.in will help thousands of weavers reach millions of Amazon customers with Silk Mark certified products.

"Silk Mark Organisation of India, Central Silk Board is delighted to associate with Amazon India as the online market place for Silk Mark Labeled 100% pure silk products from our Authorised Users. The exclusive Silk Mark Store on Amazon Karigar and Amazon India bazaar is in line with the Go Digital mandate of the government and will help over 4200 Silk Mark Authorised Users spread across India reach millions of Amazon customers. Silk Mark Label is the only assurance of purity of silk and the Silk Mark Store will have a wide range of 100% assured pure silk products. Through this association, the Silk Mark Authorised Users can expand their trade and provide direct and indirect employment to many silk farmers, weavers and craftsmen working for them. In addition to this, it will also help ensure access to 100% pure Silk Mark Labeled products to millions of customers across the country” said Sri Rajit Ranjan Okhandiar, IFS, Vice Chairperson, Silk Mark Organisation of India and CEO & Member Secretary, Central Silk Board, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.

Since the launch of the Amazon Karigar program in 2017, Amazon.in has onboarded more than 3000 master weavers, co-operatives, artisans and APEX bodies to sell online. The program has made a difference in the lives of over 800,000 weavers across 20 states and union territories. Amazon.in has also partnered with 25 Government Emporiums and 5 Government bodies to showcase authentic crafts to craft lovers and increase market connectivity. Today, Karigar showcases over 60,000 products, including 270+ unique arts and crafts from over 20 states, and provides Indian handicraft and artisan communities’ enhanced visibility by enabling them to sell their products to a large customer base and get an appropriate price for their offerings.

About Silk Mark Organisation of India
Silk Mark Organisation of India (SMOI) is a registered Society under Karnataka Society Act 1960. It is an initiative by Central Silk Board (CSB), Ministry of Textiles, and Government of India. Launched in 2004, SMOI is headquartered in Bangalore and has ten Silk Mark Chapters located strategically in and around silk clusters of the country. Silk Mark was instituted with the triple objectives of consumer protection against spurious silk, providing support to various silk industry stakeholders and generic promotion Indian Silks. The Silk Mark Label is the world’s first and only label for assuring authenticity of pure silk.

For more information visit www.silkmarkindia.com

About Amazon.in
The Amazon.in marketplace is operated by Amazon Seller Services Private Ltd, an affiliate of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN). Amazon.in seeks to build the most customer-centric online destination for customers to find and discover virtually anything they want to buy online by giving them more of what they want – vast selection, low prices, fast and reliable delivery, and a trusted and convenient experience; and provide sellers with a world-class e-commerce marketplace.

For more information, visit www.amazon.in/aboutus
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About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.
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For more information contact:

Shashank Rathod
Amazon India
rathshas@amazon.com

Chandan Kumar
Silk Mark Organisation of India
chandankumar@silkmarkindia.com