Terms and Conditions
These Terms & Conditions ("Terms") are published in accordance with the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2002 and Rule 3 (1)(f) of The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, that require publishing the rules and regulations, privacy policy and Terms of Use for access or usage of the Platform. These Terms govern your access and use of Handmade.World ("Platform") and provide information about the Services offered by Creative Dignity on and/or through this Platform. These Terms constitute an agreement between you and Creative Dignity ("we", "us" or "our"). If you do not agree to these Terms, then do not access or use the Platform. If you wish to terminate this Agreement at any time, you can do so by closing your account and no longer accessing or using our Services. Please note that we make no representation that our services comply with the laws of any jurisdiction other than India. If you choose to access or use the Platform from outside India, you are solely responsible for ensuring that such access or use is permitted under the laws applicable in your jurisdiction. If you are using the Services on behalf of a business or some other entity, you confirm that you are authorised to bind that business or entity to these Terms and you agree to these Terms on behalf of that business or entity (and all references to "you" and "your" in these Terms will mean both you as the end user and that business or entity).
1. The Services
This Contract applies to Handmade.World, and other Handmade.World related sites, apps, communications, and other services that state that they are offered under this Agreement ("Services"). The Services offered by us include:
1.1 For Makers
1.1.1 Profile Management and Portfolio Showcase
Upon onboarding as an Artisan, Designer or Buyer on the Platform, you may create and maintain an account that enables you to manage your profile, connect with other users, and showcase your craft, portfolio, and story. Where you onboard on behalf of an organisation, the Platform also allows the bulk creation and management of artisan profiles, which shall be linked to the organisation's account. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and security of your account credentials and for preventing unauthorised access to your account. You agree not to share, assign, transfer, or otherwise allow access to your account or any part thereof, including through the sale or transfer of connections or personal data of other users. You must promptly notify us of any actual or suspected unauthorised use or security breach relating to your account. You are solely responsible for all activities carried out through your account unless you have closed the account or reported misuse to us in a timely manner. We shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from unauthorised access resulting from your failure to comply with these obligations. The Platform allows you to manage your account profile including privacy settings controlling the visibility of contact information and content shared on your profile. Any content uploaded, shared, or displayed on your profile must comply with applicable laws and these Terms, and you represent that you have the necessary rights and permissions to publish such content. We do not verify, endorse, or guarantee the accuracy, quality, or legality of any information or content displayed on user profiles and acts solely as an intermediary in facilitating visibility and connections between users.
1.1.2 Network with artisans, buyers, designers and other stakeholders
The Platform enables you to discover, connect, and communicate with buyers, artisans, designers, organisations, and other users for purposes such as collaboration, learning, and commercial engagement. We act solely as an intermediary and do not control, monitor, endorse, or guarantee the conduct, intent, quality, or outcomes of any interactions or transactions between users. All communications, negotiations, collaborations, or transactions initiated through the Platform are undertaken at your own discretion and risk. You are responsible for ensuring that the interactions comply with applicable laws, regulations, and these Terms, and that all information shared is accurate and not misleading. We or the Platform are/is not a party to, and does not assume any responsibility or liability for, any agreement, understanding, or transaction entered into between the various stakeholders on the platform. Any disputes arising from such interactions must be resolved directly between the parties involved, and we/Platform expressly disclaim(s) all liability arising therefrom.
1.1.3 Opportunity Listings and Events
The Platform may from time to time provide you with access to opportunity listings and events, including but not limited to commissions, projects, collaborations, grants, workshops, exhibitions, and other professional or commercial opportunities, hosted by third parties. We do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, availability, or suitability of any opportunity or event, nor does it endorse or verify any third-party organizer, opportunity provider, or participant. Any application, participation, agreement, or engagement arising from an opportunity listing or event is solely between you and the relevant third party, and while the Platform may facilitate your registration for and/or attendance at events organized by Members or enable you to connect with other attending Members, we/Platform do/does not endorse, organize, review, or vet any such events or speakers and is not responsible for the conduct of any Members, organizers, speakers, or attendees. You are solely responsible for conducting your own due diligence and for complying with all applicable terms and conditions governing such events, and we/Platform shall not be liable for any loss, damage, claim, or dispute arising out of or in connection with your participation in any opportunity or event.
1.2 For Service Providers
1.2.1 Profile Management
Upon onboarding on the Platform as a Service Provider, you may create and manage an account to present your profile, including details of the services you offer, professional background, and relevant information. You are responsible for ensuring that all information provided in your profile is accurate, complete, and kept up to date, and that it complies with applicable laws and these Terms. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and security of their account credentials and for all activities carried out through their account.
1.2.2 Publishing of Resources
The Platform may allow you to publish resources, materials, or other content intended to benefit artisans or other users. All content submitted for publication is subject to a review and verification process by us prior to being made available to other users. We reserve the right, at its sole discretion, to approve, reject, modify, or remove any content that does not meet its guidelines, applicable laws, or these Terms and Conditions. Verification by us does not constitute endorsement, certification, or guarantee of the accuracy, quality, or suitability of the content, and the Service Provider remains solely responsible for all content published by them. If you, as a Service Provider, upload content that is false, misleading, unlawful, or infringes the rights of others, and this results in any complaint, loss, or third-party claim, you agree to indemnify and hold us harmless from such claims. We also reserve the right to delete or disable access to such content at any time.
1.3 For Visitors
The Platform allows users to explore its content without immediately registering or subscribing. As a visitor, you may browse stakeholder profiles and view their work, discover traditional crafts, skills, products and techniques practiced across different regions, and learn more about India's rich and diverse handicraft heritage. This exploration mode is designed to help you understand the value and offerings of the Platform before making a commitment. Visitors are provided with complimentary access to up to fifteen (15) artisan profiles, after which continued access to additional profiles, features, or content may require you to create an account in accordance with the Platform's applicable terms.
2. Eligibility
You may use the Platform only if you are legally eligible to do so. You must be at least Eighteen (18) years of age and must not be prohibited from accessing or using the Platform under any applicable laws or regulations. You may not use the Platform if your account has previously been disabled or terminated by the Platform for violating these Terms or any other applicable policies, unless you have received prior written permission from the Platform to create a new account. Any such permission, if granted, is provided at our/ Platform's sole discretion and does not imply that any previous enforcement action was taken in error or without cause. If you are a person with a disability who has a legally appointed guardian, you may use the Platform only with the prior consent of your legal guardian.
3. Obligations under the present Agreement
You agree that you shall not upload, post, share, transmit, or otherwise make available any content on the Platform that:
• Belongs to another person and to which you do not have any legal right or authorization; • Is obscene, pornographic, paedophilic, harmful to children, invasive of another person's privacy (including bodily privacy), insulting or harassing on the basis of gender, racially or ethnically objectionable, or that relates to or encourages money laundering, gambling, or the promotion of enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, caste, or other protected characteristics with the intent to incite violence; • Harms or exploits children in any manner; • Infringes any patent, trademark, copyright, or other intellectual property or proprietary rights; • Deceives or misleads the recipient about the origin of the message, or knowingly and intentionally communicates any misinformation or information that is patently false, untrue, or misleading in nature; • Impersonates any other person or entity; • Threatens the unity, integrity, defence, security, or sovereignty of India, its friendly relations with foreign States, public order, or that incites the commission of any cognisable offence, obstructs the investigation of any offence, or insults any other nation; • Contains software viruses, malware, or any other computer code, file, or program designed to interrupt, destroy, or limit the functionality of the Platform; or • Violates any law, rule, or regulation for the time being in force.
You may not access or collect data from our Platform using automated means or attempt to access data that you do not have permission to access, regardless of whether such automated access or collection is undertaken while logged in to an Account.
You may not misuse any reporting, flagging, dispute or appeals channel, such as by making fraudulent, duplicative or groundless reports or appeals.
You may not do, or attempt to do, anything to circumvent, bypass or override any technological measures that the Platform uses to control or limit access to the Platform.
We may remove or restrict access to any content that violates these provisions and may suspend or disable your account for conduct that breaches these Terms, in accordance with Section 6. Where content you have shared is removed for a violation, we will, where reasonably possible, notify you of such removal and explain any options available to request a review of our decision. However, we may be unable to provide such notice or review options where you have seriously or repeatedly violated these Terms, or where doing so may expose us or others to legal or regulatory liability, harm our user community, compromise or interfere with the integrity, security, or operation of our services or systems, be restricted due to technical limitations, or be prohibited under applicable law.
4. Intellectual Property Rights
4.1 Rights you Grant us
Some of the content you create, upload, or share on the Platform, such as photographs, videos, text, or other materials, may be protected by intellectual property laws. You retain full ownership of all intellectual property rights in the content that you create and share, and nothing in these Terms restricts your ability to use, share, or distribute your content elsewhere, in any manner you choose. However, in order to operate, maintain, and improve the Platform and its services, you hereby grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, transferable, and sub-licensable license to host, store, use, reproduce, distribute, display, perform, modify, adapt, translate, and create derivative works of such content and /or intellectual Property, solely for the purposes of providing, operating, and improving the Platform and its related services, and in a manner consistent with your applicable settings and preferences. This license includes the right to make your content available to, and to grant these rights to, third-party service providers, contractors, or affiliates with whom we have contractual relationships, strictly for the purpose of supporting and delivering the Platform's services. The license will continue for as long as your content remains available on the Platform and will terminate once such content is deleted from the Platform's systems, except to the extent required for legal, regulatory, backup, or archival purposes. Since you retain ownership of the original content you create and we are granted only a non-exclusive license to use it, you remain free to share, publish, or license your content to others, including under the terms of a Creative Commons License at your discretion.
4.2 Our Intellectual property Rights
We retain all right, title, and interest in and to the Platform, its services, and all related intellectual property, including but not limited to software, designs, text, graphics, images, videos, audio, trademarks, service marks, logos, and trade names used in connection with the Platform. All trademarks, logos, and brand elements displayed on the Platform are owned by us or their respective owners and may not be used without prior written permission. Nothing in these Terms grants you any right to use the Platform's name, trademarks, logos, or branding, except as expressly permitted under these Terms. If the Platform makes available any content protected by intellectual property rights for your use such as images, designs, videos, audio, or templates, you may use such content only as part of and in connection with the Platform and in accordance with these Terms.
4.3 Protection of Third-Party Intellectual Property
We respect the intellectual property, privacy, and other legal rights of others, and expect users to do the same. You may not use the Platform, or allow anyone else to use it, in any manner that infringes or violates another person's rights, including rights of privacy, publicity, copyright, trademark, or any other intellectual property or proprietary rights. When you upload, post, or share any content on the Platform, you are solely responsible for ensuring that you own such content or have obtained all necessary rights, permissions, licences, and authorisations required to use and share it on the Platform and to grant the rights and licences set out in these Terms. We take allegations of intellectual property infringement seriously and comply with applicable laws. Upon receiving valid notice or otherwise becoming aware of infringing content, we may remove or disable access to such content. Where a user is found to have repeatedly infringed intellectual property rights, we reserve the right to suspend or terminate the user's account, in accordance with these Terms. If you believe that any content available on the Platform infringes rights that you own or control, you may notify the Platform using the forms accessible here, and we will review such complaints in accordance with applicable law.
5. Privacy
As a visitor or account holder of the Platform, the collection, use, storage, and sharing of your personal data are governed by our Privacy Policy, as updated from time to time. By using the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read and understood our Privacy Policy and agree to the handling of your personal data in accordance with it.
6. Deletion/Suspension of Account
The Platform aims to provide a safe and welcoming environment where users can freely express themselves and share ideas. If, in our sole discretion, you clearly, seriously, or repeatedly violate these Terms or any applicable policies, including misuse of the Platform or infringement of intellectual property rights, we may suspend or permanently disable your access to the Platform and terminate or delete your account, including where required by law. Where reasonably possible, we will notify you of such action and inform you of any available options to request a review, unless doing so may expose the Platform or others to legal or regulatory liability, harm the user community, interfere with the integrity, security, or operation of the Platform or its systems, be restricted due to technical limitations, or be prohibited by law. Upon deletion or termination of your account, or upon cessation of your access to the Platform for any reason, these Terms shall terminate, except for those provisions which by their nature are intended to survive termination i.e., (6-11).
7. Dispute Resolution
If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints relating to the Platform or these Terms, you are encouraged to first contact us using the grievance or support forms accessible here or by writing to us at the email address provided below, and we will make reasonable efforts to resolve the matter in a fair and timely manner. Name: Tithi Kundu Email: support@handmade.world Address: Joseph Chemmanur Memorial Hall, 1st Cross, Indira Nagar 1st Stage, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560038, India In the event that a dispute remains unresolved, you agree that the laws of India shall apply to any such dispute and that any dispute arising out of or in connection with your use of the Platform shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Karnataka, India.
8. Updation/Modification of Terms
We continuously work to improve the Platform and may, from time to time, add, modify, suspend, or remove features, services, or functionalities, or discontinue the Platform (in whole or in part). We may also update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes to the Platform, how our services are provided, or to comply with legal, regulatory, security, or operational requirements. Where changes are made to these Terms, we will provide reasonable prior notice, unless such changes are required to take effect sooner due to legal obligations or the introduction of new features or services. Your continued use of the Platform after the updated Terms come into effect will constitute your acceptance of those changes.
9. Indemnity
You agree, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Platform, Creative Dignity, its affiliates, and their respective directors, officers, shareholders, employees, contractors, licensors, and agents from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in connection with: (a) your access to or use of the Platform or its services; (b) any content uploaded, posted, or shared by you, including any claims of infringement or violation of third-party rights; (c) your breach of these Terms or any applicable law; or (d) your negligent or wilful misconduct.
10. Limitation of Liability
We provide the Platform and all related services, content, and information on an "as is" and "as available" basis, without any warranties of any kind, whether express, implied, or statutory, including warranties of accuracy, non-infringement, merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose. We do not guarantee that the services will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free. Any reliance on content or information made available on the Platform is at your own risk, and you are solely responsible for verifying its accuracy and suitability for your purposes. To the fullest extent permitted by law, and unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing, we, the Platform, and our affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages, or for any loss of profits, business opportunities, reputation, or data, arising out of or in connection with your use of or inability to use the Platform or its services.
11. Miscellaneous
11.1 Severability
If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, such provision shall be severed from these Terms, without affecting the validity or enforceability of the remaining provisions. Our failure to enforce any provision of these Terms shall not be deemed a waiver of such provision or of any other rights under these Terms. Any amendment to or waiver of these Terms shall be effective only if made in writing and signed by us.
11.2 Transfer Restrictions
You may not assign, transfer, or otherwise dispose of any of your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may freely assign or transfer our rights and obligations under these Terms, in whole or in part, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or by operation of law.
11.3 No Third-Party Beneficiaries
These Terms are intended solely for the benefit of you and the Platform and do not confer any rights or remedies upon any third party.
11.4 Feedback and Suggestions
We welcome and appreciate your feedback, comments, and suggestions regarding the Platform and its services. You agree that we may use, disclose, and incorporate such feedback or suggestions for any purpose, without restriction, attribution, or obligation to compensate you, and without any duty to keep such feedback confidential.
12. Contact Us
You may contact us on the following addresses: Name: Tithi Kundu Email: support@handmade.world Address: Joseph Chemmanur Memorial Hall, 1st Cross, Indira Nagar 1st Stage, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560038, India