Dinajpur potters embrace modern clay coil holders to attract consumers

Potters in Hili of Hakimpur upazila are diversifying their products by making modern clay mosquito coil holders and other decorative and household items to keep pace with changing consumer preferences and compete with plastic and melamine products.

During a visit to Kumar Para in Chandipur village near the Hili border yesterday (25 October), local potters said they are trying to preserve their ancestral profession by introducing innovative designs and attractive clay products to meet growing consumer demand.

As traditional earthen pots and pans have lost popularity, the artisans have diversified their production, making modern household utensils and decorative items with colourful finishes and polished designs. Among their new products, clay mosquito coil holders have gained particular popularity among customers.

Potters Yogesh Roy and Arati Bala said sales of traditional clay pots and pans had declined, forcing them to explore new products. The clay coil holders, they said, had become popular as customers considered them a safer option for burning mosquito coils.

They added that demand for the holders increased during power outages, when mosquitoes become a nuisance and people rely on mosquito coils at night.

Md Khademul Haque, a resident of Bagmara village in Hakimpur upazila, said, "Previously, I had no specific container for burning coils and had to place them on a plate or another household item. I like the clay coil holder because it has a lid and a stand for placing the coil."

He added that he had recently seen the newly designed holders at the market. The products feature a perforated lid that allows smoke to escape and a stand in the middle for holding coils. The design can also accommodate several coils at a time.

Potter Bimal Pal said innovation was essential for traditional artisans to compete with plastic products.

"Unless we introduce new products, it will be difficult for us to survive in competition with plastic goods," he said, adding that the clay holders were designed to contain the burning coil and its ash, reducing the risk of fire spreading.

Another potter, Anik Pal, said they had recently started producing a wider range of modern clay items, including decorated drinking glasses, small and large buckets, and plates.

The artisans are presenting these products with attractive designs to appeal to customers, particularly younger buyers, who are increasingly purchasing them as decorative or hobby items.

Anik Pal said the growing interest in their new products had given them some relief and renewed hope of sustaining their traditional craft in the coming days.