ASIA:
The Asian manufacturing industry is highly diversified, comprising of several establishments engaged in manufacturing of pottery, ceramics, clay pieces, paintings, sculptures, metal craft, antique furniture, antique jewelry, gems and stones, textiles, paper craft, toys, leather based products. These industries provide additional employment and raise the level of living for both rural and urban populations. The global handicrafts industry accounts for a market share of 100 billion. This industry plays a dominant role in the economic development of the rural mass of every country and earns substantial foreign exchange.

Ceramics: is an art of making different kind of objects such as earthenware, porcelain, tiles, cookware, dinnerware etc with the help of fired clay. The leading Asian countries that produce ceramics based articles are India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, China, Iran, and UAE.

Glass crafts: includes assorted range of crafts such as glass blowing, glass bead making, stained glass paintings, hand painted glassware, glass pearls etc. The principal Asian nations producing glass crafts are India, China, Iran, Iraq and Lebanon.

Fibre Crafts: consists of plethora of craft techniques like Lace making, Macramé, Spinning, Tatting, traditional rug hooking, weaving, carpet making etc. China, India, Bhutan, Pakistan, Nepal, Thailand etc are the prominent producers of Fibre based objects.

Leatherwork: comprises of wide range of activities such as leather carving, leather painting, leather-stamping etc. The dominant Asian countries that are engaged in manufacturing of leather based goods are China, Korea, Thailand, India, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Wood crafts: covers broad range of techniques such as woodcarving, woodworking, wood burning etc. Woodcraft refers to the skill in carving or fashioning objects from wood. Thailand is the chief producer of Lacquer ware, which is made of woven bamboo or wood and coated with lacquer along with exquisite designs. Both China and Nepal are famous for their exquisite architecture made up of carved wooden struts. Sri Lanka is known for its wooden polychrome masks while India is famous for its wide range of woodcraft items carved wooden furniture, carved wooden memorials, masks, wooden toys etc.

Stone Crafts: is an art or skill of manufacturing objects by combining together pieces of rough natural stones. China is well known for its wide variety of stone-carved miniature artifacts and jewelry made up usually of rare stones such as Shoushan stone and Tianhuang stone. Japan is a renowned producer of Satsuma stoneware. Thailand is the leading producer of high-grade gemstones and jewelry in the world.

Metal Crafts: contains diverse range of objects such as metal jewelry, metal utensils, silver ware, brassware, metal statues etc. The chief metal based objects producing countries include India, Bhutan, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.


EUROPE:
Boasts of 25.3 million non-primary private enterprises, out of which 99.8% are craft and small and medium-sized enterprises. Craft-trades play a significant role in most of the European countries The Crafts and small businesses employ more than 66% of Europe's workforce i.e. around 98 million people. The turnover of craft industry ranges from 25% to 55%. In Europe, small enterprises and craft businesses are a prominent source of jobs and a breeding ground for business ideas.

Ceramics: includes assorted range of objects such as earthenware, porcelain, clay tiles, bricks, cookware, dinnerware etc made with the help of fired clay. The leading European countries that produce ceramics based articles are Germany, United Kingdom, Italy and France.

Leatherwork: Among the European countries, Italy, Turkey, France, Russia, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia are the producers of leather and leather products.

Beadwork: emerged as one of the decorative crafts in Europe in the middle ages. Beadwork is a skilful and often delicate art that is becoming increasingly well known in the world. United Kingdom is the leading producer of glass beads and jewelry in the whole of Europe.

Needle crafts: includes wide range of techniques such as applique, crewel embroidery, crochet, cross stitch, knitting, patchwork, quilting etc. England, Germany, Sweden, Russia and Spain are the chief producers of different type of laces such as needle worked lace, bobbin lace in the Europe. The leading countries producing antique tapestries are Germany, France, Belgium and Italy.

Jewelry: comprises of diverse range of ornamental adornments made up of different types of metals, gemstones, stones etc. Spain, France, Italy and Germany are the top four jewelry manufacturing countries in Europe.

Giftware: sector comprises of home wares, toys and games, card wrapping, small leather goods, jewelry, accessories, silverware etc. The United Kingdom giftware industry is worth over $ 21 billion in the whole of Europe. Other giftware producing countries in Europe are Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland etc.


AFRICA:
Ceramics and pottery is considered to be one of the oldest trade commodities of Africa. The African Crafts industry is considered to be one of the well-managed and organized sectors employing a major chunk of human population in various establishments. The craft industry of Africa is contributing significantly to the country’s national economic growth. It also assists in uplifting the social-economic status of the impoverished communities such as the squatter dwellers, urban poor, small farmer who are striving very hard to be self reliant despite the bitter realities of their daily lives.

Leatherwork: Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and Morocco are the leading producers of leather and leather products in whole of the Africa.

Ceramics: Ceramics and pottery is considered to be one of the oldest trade commodities of Africa. It includes diverse range of products such as white wares, refractories, structural clay products, glasses, vessels, pottery, sculptures etc. The chief producers of ceramics based products are Morocco, Cameroon, Liberia, Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Kwa Zulu-Natal and Western Cape.

Wood work: Africa is known for its hand carved wooden sculptures and carvings made on traditional themes. Woodcarving of Kenya occupies a prominent position by contributing an estimated income of over US$ 10 million per year, of which a considerable part are export earnings. The wooden handicrafts industry of South Africa is worth more the USD 40,000 per annum and is still growing significantly with organized marketing methods.

Masks: Benin, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Egypt, Ghana, Sudan, Mauritania, Congo, Gabon, Senegal, Kenya, Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Cameroon, Ethiopia, and the Ivory Coast are all known for manufacturing different types of masks such as Bakota, teke masks, kwele masks, tikar, kuba etc.

Musical Instruments: Musical instruments constitute a dominant role in the cultural life of Africans. The sub-Saharan musical instruments include rattles, bells, stamping tubes, thumb piano and the xylophone. Drums are amongst the most popular African musical instruments along with the percussion instruments and the African stringed instruments.


AUSTRALIA:
The Australia and New Zealand's craft industry comprises of several cottage industries specializing in niche products. The key products exported by theses countries include ceramic arts and crafts, jade jewelry, decorative hand blown glass, abalone jewelry, paper crafts, home wares such as bed linen and place mats, wooden toys and games made from native timbers, and natural cosmetics.

The Australian government spends about $6.3 million per annum for contemporary visual arts & crafts sector. Australia’s arts and cultural industry has seen an enormous growth over the past few years. The total export in the music, publishing, indigenous art and decorative arts was $300 million (2006).

Ceramics: Australia produces ceramic glasses, pottery, porcelain homewares, fired bricks/blocks, ceramic dinnerware, ceramic-framed mirrors etc.

Jewelry: The Australian Diamond and Gemstone Mining Industry is highly diversified with exports accounting for 90 per cent of revenue valued at A$684 million in 2005-06. Australia is one of the world’s leading producers of white South Sea pearls, diamonds, opals and sapphires.

Giftware: This industry comprises of homewares, wooden toys and games made from native timbers, natural cosmetics etc. New Zealand exports giftware items to Australia, USA, United Kingdom, Japan and Germany.


AMERICA:
The American craft market is one of the largest and most important markets for craft in the world. The American craft industry is very large as compared to the domestic Canadian market. The art & craft industry in United States accounts for about US$13.8 billion. More than 127000 people are currently employed in the American art and craft sector.

The craft industry of Canada is highly diversified sector, comprising of individual craft persons, studios, enterprises, media guilds, public and private galleries, retail and wholesale shows, and industrial organizations. It accounts for over $100 million exports and employs about 22,597 persons in the various establishments.

Ceramics: refers to artwork prepared with the help of clay bodies and then fired into the hardened ceramic form. America produces brick, sewer pipe, roofing tile, clay floor and walls tiles, flue linings, dinnerware, sanitary ware, electrical porcelain, decorative ceramics, Flat glass, glass fibers etc.

Glasswork: It involves wide range of activities such as glass bead making, glass blowing, glass fusing etc. Canada is well known for manufacturing strong glass paperweights.

Jewelry: Native American silver jewelry occupies a dominant position in the American craft industry. The principal silver jewelry manufacturing countries are Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado.

Beadwork: The contemporary American beadwork can usually be visible on handbags, pouches, clothing, moccasins, etc. Arizona, Montana and Dakotas are all famous for producing bead-based objects.