INTEGRATION AND INNOVATION OF TRADITIONAL CRAFTS AND CONTEMPORARY DESIGN: AN EXPLORATION OF CULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY.

Abstract

The integration of traditional crafts with contemporary design significantly enhances cultural sustainability and innovation. Despite increasing environmental concerns, ethical sourcing, and a demand for unique, high-quality products, traditional craftsmanship has declined due to industrialisation and mass production, undermining cultural heritage. This study examines the authenticity of traditional arts and their potential adaptation to fulfil contemporary aesthetic, functional, and ecological requirements for attending to cultural sensitivity. Following the distribution of 1550 questionnaires, a conclusive study including 20 participants was conducted as a pilot and 1337 participants for the final one. The gathered responses were evaluated utilising RAO software, facilitating statistical calculations and the derivation of valuable insights. The study highlights service design, digital fabrication, and eco-friendly production methods, all of which enhance the sustainability and enduring significance of traditional art forms. By integrating these characteristics, artists and designers can expand their market reach while remaining authentic to their cultural heritage. Nonetheless, challenges such as craftsmen’ opposition to modernisation, the lack of supportive rules, and the decline of craftsmanship due to mass production persist. Innovative sustainable design concepts that harmonise historical preservation with modern advancements are increasingly prevalent, nevertheless these challenges. The research offers practical ways for preserving artisanal heritage while integrating contemporary advancements, thereby enhancing the discourse on traditional cultural sustainability. It promotes a compromise wherein traditional crafts are preserved and adapted to meet the evolving requirements of contemporary society for management of cultural sustainability while integration of traditional crafts methods.