Mrinal Jain : Empowering Artisans, Crafting Global Impact
Mrinal Jain
Founding Member & COO
We are talking about Kadam Haat and one of its founding members and COO, Mrinal Jain. Guided by a strong mission and driven by his passion, Mrinal has been on a remarkable entrepreneurial journey that started with co-founding The State Plate in 2020 and scaling it into a 13 crore venture. After briefly working with Urban Company as the Category Manager, he returned to his true calling of building purpose-driven enterprises that empower artisans and create sustainable live lihoods.
Today, Mrinal is leading Kadam Haat with the grand objective of empowering a million artisans and becoming a 100 crore brand in the next five years—in that order. It is not, however, the numbers that define Kadam's journey. The real mark of success rests on the families that have been helped, the artisans who have been able to make their lives better.
The combination of business growth and social impact keeps the organization demonstrating that purpose and profit can still go hand in hand. We are delighted to engage in an exclusive conversation with Mrinal, who walks us through the journey, leadership approach, and more.
How do you educate artisans in modern design and product development skills to meet global standards nationwide?
Educating artisans in modern design and product development is central to our growth. We conduct global market research to identify trends in design,
color, and pricing, and then train artisans to adap through design modifications, cost optimization, and quality standards.
By combining technology with craft, we are introducing innovations like insulated, sensor-based handmade products. Additionally, we focus on decentralized production models, skill based training, and strict quality frameworks to ensure artisans meet international standards while enhancing efficiency and margins.
What quality control measures ensure your handmade creations meet global design, aesthetics, and functionality standards?
We follow a rigorous four-layer quality control process to ensure consistency and excellence in every product. The first check is a midway video QC by our expert team during production, followed by a cluster-level QC before dispatch, where deviations are sent for repair rather than rejection to respect artisans’ work.
Products then undergo a warehouse QC upon arrival in Kolkata and a final QC before customer dispatch. Each product is assessed against detailed checkpoints, ranging from 5 to 26 depending on complexity, ensuring uniform quality aesthetics and functionality, whether ordered once or in bulk.
What ethical factors do you address in handmade manu -facturing?
In handmade manufacturing, we strictly avoid practices like greenwashing, where artisan stories are used while products are factory-made. For us, artisans are not employees but artisan business partners (ABPs), micro-entrepreneurs working with dignity, flexibility, and fair value for their craft. We ensure authenticity by supporting real artisans, not factories, and maintaining genuine sustain- ability.
Unlike many who rely on false claims, we back our work with research, such as showing how one kilogram of grass used in our products can sequester three kilograms of carbon and divert two kilograms of PET waste from landfills. Our commitment is to fair partnerships, transparent labor standards and true
By combining technology with craft, we are introducing innovations like insulated, sensor-based handmade products. Additionally, we focus on decentralized production models, skill based training, and strict quality frameworks to ensure artisans meet international standards while enhancing efficiency and margins.
What quality control measures ensure your handmade creations meet global design, aesthetics, and functionality standards?
We follow a rigorous four-layer quality control process to ensure consistency and excellence in every product. The first check is a midway video QC by our expert team during production, followed by a cluster-level QC before dispatch, where deviations are sent for repair rather than rejection to respect artisans’ work.
Products then undergo a warehouse QC upon arrival in Kolkata and a final QC before customer dispatch. Each product is assessed against detailed checkpoints, ranging from 5 to 26 depending on complexity, ensuring uniform quality aesthetics and functionality, whether ordered once or in bulk.
With a clear vision of becoming a 100 crore global brand by 2030
What ethical factors do you address in handmade manu -facturing?
In handmade manufacturing, we strictly avoid practices like greenwashing, where artisan stories are used while products are factory-made. For us, artisans are not employees but artisan business partners (ABPs), micro-entrepreneurs working with dignity, flexibility, and fair value for their craft. We ensure authenticity by supporting real artisans, not factories, and maintaining genuine sustain- ability.
Unlike many who rely on false claims, we back our work with research, such as showing how one kilogram of grass used in our products can sequester three kilograms of carbon and divert two kilograms of PET waste from landfills. Our commitment is to fair partnerships, transparent labor standards and true
environmental responsibility.
What strategies have you adopted to engage new audiences in the market?
To engage new audiences, we follow an omnichannel strategy with presence across our website, major marketplaces like Amazon, Myntra, Nykaa, Brown Living, and others, as well as select offline stores in cities such as Mumbai, Goa, Raipur, Chandigarh, and Bangalore. We also actively participate in exhibitions and pop-ups, ensuring customers experience our products first hand.
Additionally, we cater to corporate and B2B gifting for clients like BMW, Lexus, HSBC, Uber, and ISKCON. As a digital-first brand, our focus is on delivering high-quality, well-designed products at the right price and through the right channels— where the artisan story enhances value rather than being the sole driver of purchase.
What is your vision for the company’s future direction?
We are growing at 2x annually, doubling revenue each year. In handmade manufacturing, unlike factory-based industries, growth is limited by the time and training required to build artisan capacity, which typically takes two years. This makes careful planning essential, as scaling depends on human skill rather than machinery. Over the next five years, we aim to expand both our artisan base and global presence, with a clear vision of becoming a 100 crore global brand by 2030.
Mrinal Jain, Founding Member & COO, Kadam Haat
Mrinal leads the operations of an emerging platform connecting handcrafted natural fiber products to domestic and international markets. He empowers artisans nationwide with modern design and product development skills while ensuring global-quality standards.
•Hobbies: Hustling and bike riding
•Favorite book: Skin in the Game by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
•Favorite Travel Destination: West Bengal, Calcutta, Bhopal
•Favorite Cuisine: Tibetan
Awards and Recognition:
•Outstanding Delegate at the Summer of Financial Leaders conference
What strategies have you adopted to engage new audiences in the market?
To engage new audiences, we follow an omnichannel strategy with presence across our website, major marketplaces like Amazon, Myntra, Nykaa, Brown Living, and others, as well as select offline stores in cities such as Mumbai, Goa, Raipur, Chandigarh, and Bangalore. We also actively participate in exhibitions and pop-ups, ensuring customers experience our products first hand.
Additionally, we cater to corporate and B2B gifting for clients like BMW, Lexus, HSBC, Uber, and ISKCON. As a digital-first brand, our focus is on delivering high-quality, well-designed products at the right price and through the right channels— where the artisan story enhances value rather than being the sole driver of purchase.
What is your vision for the company’s future direction?
We are growing at 2x annually, doubling revenue each year. In handmade manufacturing, unlike factory-based industries, growth is limited by the time and training required to build artisan capacity, which typically takes two years. This makes careful planning essential, as scaling depends on human skill rather than machinery. Over the next five years, we aim to expand both our artisan base and global presence, with a clear vision of becoming a 100 crore global brand by 2030.
Mrinal Jain, Founding Member & COO, Kadam Haat
Mrinal leads the operations of an emerging platform connecting handcrafted natural fiber products to domestic and international markets. He empowers artisans nationwide with modern design and product development skills while ensuring global-quality standards.
•Hobbies: Hustling and bike riding
•Favorite book: Skin in the Game by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
•Favorite Travel Destination: West Bengal, Calcutta, Bhopal
•Favorite Cuisine: Tibetan
Awards and Recognition:
•Outstanding Delegate at the Summer of Financial Leaders conference