Psychological Appeal of Hand-Printed Textiles of India: An Exploratory Study of Emotional Perception, Authenticity, and Cultural Identity in Consumer Preference

Shilpa Bhat

Abstract: Indian hand-printed textiles, produced through techniques such as block printing, hand painting, and resist dyeing, represent one of the country's oldest craft traditions, yet the psychological mechanisms underlying their appeal to consumers have received limited empirical attention. Most existing research has approached the subject from historical, anthropological, or economic perspectives, leaving the emotional and identity-related dimensions of consumer engagement largely unexplored. The present study examined the psychological appeal of hand-printed textiles among Indian consumers, with specific attention to perceived authenticity, cultural identity, and emotional connection as predictors of consumer preference and recommendation intention. A mixed-method, correlational-descriptive design was adopted. Quantitative data were collected from 120 consumers through a structured online questionnaire measuring purchase behaviour, perceived authenticity, importance of artisan narrative, cultural connectedness, emotional attachment, and willingness to recommend and pay a premium for hand-printed textiles, while open-ended items captured qualitative impressions analysed thematically. Emotional perception, a composite of authenticity, cultural connectedness, and emotional attachment, significantly and positively predicted recommendation intention, explaining approximately 61 percent of the variance, whereas perceived authenticity alone did not significantly predict willingness to pay a premium. Design, colour, and motif emerged as the strongest single influence on purchase decisions, ahead of artisan narrative, and the majority of respondents were willing to pay only a modest premium of up to 10 percent for hand-printed over machine-made textiles. Thematic analysis of open-ended responses highlighted cultural heritage, artisanal effort, and intergenerational memory as the most frequently expressed associations. The findings suggest that the psychological appeal of hand-printed textiles is substantially rooted in perceived authenticity and cultural identity rather than economic reasoning, with implications for artisan-support initiatives, sustainable fashion marketing, and craft-heritage communication strategies.

Keywords: Hand-Printed Textiles, Cultural Identity, Consumer Preference, Emotional Connection, Perceived Authenticity

How to Cite?: Shilpa Bhat, "Psychological Appeal of Hand-Printed Textiles of India: An Exploratory Study of Emotional Perception, Authenticity, and Cultural Identity in Consumer Preference", Volume 15 Issue 8, August 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1433-1437, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26820143714, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26820143714

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