Buying · 5 min read · Updated Jun 20, 2026
What a GI tag means when you're buying
A GI tag is one of the strongest authenticity signals you can get when buying a traditional craft. It's not the seller's word — it's a legal recognition tied to a place. Here's what it means for you.
What the mark guarantees
A Geographical Indication certifies that a product genuinely comes from a particular region and is made by its traditional method — Darjeeling tea from Darjeeling, Pashmina from Kashmir, Banarasi from Varanasi. A copy made elsewhere can't legitimately carry the name.
Some GI-tagged Indian crafts
- Banarasi silk (Varanasi)
- Kashmir Pashmina
- Channapatna toys (Karnataka)
- Blue pottery of Jaipur
- Pochampally Ikat (Telangana)
- Madhubani painting (Bihar)
How to verify a GI claim
A trustworthy seller or platform verifies a GI against India's official registry before displaying the mark. On haat, the brass GI mark beside a price appears only after we've checked the claim against the registry — read the artisan's angle in GI tags explained for artisans.
Frequently asked
- Does a GI tag mean it's handmade?
- It means it's genuinely from the region and made by the recognised method, which for most Indian GI crafts is by hand. It's primarily an origin-and-authenticity guarantee.
- Is a GI piece worth more?
- Often, yes — because the mark removes doubt about authenticity. You're paying for the verified real thing rather than an imitation.