Kenya being the East Africa gateway and business hub, handicraft production is a major form of employment and constitutes a significant part of the national export economy. It has been suggested that there is an increasing number of small businesses turning to handicraft production and that this trend is unlikely to change significantly in the future. More specifically, artisans have been identified as the second largest sector of rural employment after agriculture in Kenya. Artisan production has thrived because handcrafted products offer distinct advantages: minimal start-up capital, flexible work hours, the ability to work at home, and freedom to manage one’s own business. Unlike many other forms of labour, artisan production can also enable a degree of labour autonomy for those who have limited access to the cash economy.

As a means of livelihood, handicrafts provide an ideal avenue for creative and independent entrepreneurs. Regionally, turn around capacity is about 100 million USD, Kenya stands at 15 million USD. These products are sold in world markets such as the USA and Europe, arguably because of the challenge in satisfying quality standards demanded in those markets. Other challenges facing export of Kenyan handicrafts include high packaging and shipping costs, tariffs, lack of patent laws and certifications. Moreover, there is limited documented evidence on the contribution of commercial craft sector including the producers, exporters, raw materials, value and volume of exports on a product-by-product basis.