Abstract

Material culture-based goods have become, in many developing countries, an example of sustainable and endogenous growth based on small and micro cultural firms. After a brief discussion on the definition of material culture - the special area bordering intangible-oral and tangible-natural cultural heritage - and an historical overview on the sector's evolution, quantitative data on the economic importance of artisanal goods on national and international markets will be analysed. Finally a new model based on the transition from traditional handicraft production to soft industrial design - based on high quality and high quantity production - will be discussed, addressing both the economic advantages of this transformation and the policy strategies needed for its implementation.