The Indian handloom industry faced with a plethora of challenges, Neeti Prakash makes out a fervent case for the revival and innovation and advocates the collective effort of the government, NGOs, designers, and most importantly, the consumers. By embracing the handloom industry’s potential for innovation while honouring its traditions, one can ensure that this ancient art form continues to thrive and sustain as symbol of country’s artistic heritage.
The handloom industry in India is not just symbolic of the country’s artistic capabilities but also a cornerstone of its socio-economic structure. It represents the confluence of tradition and livelihood for millions. However, the industry has faced significant challenges, necessitating a multi-faceted approach to ensure its revival and sustainable innovation.
According to Fourth All India Handloom Census (2019 – 20), there are 26,73,891 handloom weavers and 8,48,621 allied workers in India. The Office of the Development Commissioner for Handlooms under the Government of India’s Ministry of Textiles has implemented several schemes for the development of handlooms and welfare of handloom weavers across the country.
These include National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP), Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS), Handloom Weavers’ Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (HWCWS), and Yarn Supply Scheme (YSS).
Government initiatives
The NHDP stands as a beacon of hope for the handloom sector. With its comprehensive approach, it addresses critical areas that include infrastructure, skill development, marketing support, etc.
This means it facilitates upgrading facilities to improve the quality and efficiency of production, creates training programs to help weavers adapt to contemporary market demands while preserving traditional methods, and develops initiatives like the ‘India Handloom’ brand which promote the domestic and global marketing of handloom products.
The cluster development programmes, on the other hand, play a pivotal role in creating synergies among weavers. By pooling such resources, the artisans can share knowledge and exchange traditional techniques and designs, fostering innovation; can access markets so that the collective bargaining power helps in securing better prices and access to larger markets; Improve quality so the standardisation of processes leads to improved quality, enhancing competitiveness.
The Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS) has developed Mega Handloom Clusters to cover at least 15,000 to 25,000 handlooms and financial assistance as GoI share. The eight mega handloom clusters include Varanasi, Sivasagar, Virudhunagar, Murshidabad, Prakasam & Guntur districts and Godda and neighbouring districts (2012-13), Bhagalpur and Trichy (2014-15).
The Weavers Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (HWCWS) has been implemented to ensure ‘life, accidental and disability insurance coverage’ under the Pradhan Mantri Jivan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Converged Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana.
Another effective scheme, the Yarn Supply Scheme, is being implemented, through National Handloom Development Corporation, to ensure availability of all types of yarn at Mill Gate Price. It offers subsidy with quantity caps on hank yarn which includes wool, cotton, domestic silk, and linen yarn.
Legal protection
The Geographical Indications (GI) Tags are very important in the handloom industry as they serve as a badge of authenticity and pride to the artisans. A GI Tag is a sign that is used on products with a specific geographical origin and these products have qualities or a reputation that are due to that place of origin.
The GI Tag helps in creating a brand identity as they help in building a distinct brand identity for handloom products, linked to their place of origin. They offer legal protection against imitation, ensuring that only genuine products carry the name and build consumer trust as the customers are assured of the product’s authenticity and quality.
The Self Help Groups (SHGs) which are the grassroots engines driving change in the handloom sector have been very effective in the revival and sustenance of the handloom industry. They empower the weavers by providing microfinance and ensuring access to credit which allows weavers to invest in materials and loom upgrades. Secondly, the SHGs encourage women participation as women form a significant part of the weaving community. By doing so women gain financial independence and decision-making power. SHGs also facilitate collective action as they enable weavers to act collectively, giving them a stronger voice in the market.
Several skill enhancement programmes have also helped the industry. These programmes introduce the weavers to contemporary design trends to keep their creations relevant, train them in quality control which ensures that products meet the high standards expected by consumers and educate the weavers on business management and market dynamics to help them thrive independently.
Creating market linkages is essential for the handloom industry’s growth. SHGs and NGOs facilitate platforms for direct sales to eliminate middlemen, ensuring fair compensation for weavers. By establishing an online presence, it opens up national and international markets. They are also offered assistance in brand building which helps weavers to tell their stories and connect emotionally with consumers.
Getting innovative
Collaborations with designers inject creativity and freshness into traditional weaves. These partnerships highlight craftsmanship as they bring attention to the weavers’ skills, showcasing their work on prestigious platforms. Designer-weaver collaborations often result in trendsetting products that appeal to a modern audience. By making handloom products fashionable, these collaborations help ensure the economic viability of the craft.
Fashion weeks are more than just glamour events now as today they serve as stages for the rich cultural narratives embodied in handloom textiles. The new and innovative uses of handloom fabrics are displayed, inspiring others in the industry. At these events, weavers and designers can network with buyers, retailers, and influencers, opening up new avenues for growth.
Social media has emerged as a powerful tool for the handloom industry. Social media campaigns help raise awareness about the value of handloom and the stories behind each weave. The interactive campaigns can engage a broader audience, creating a community of handloom enthusiasts. Also, effective social media strategies can translate into increased sales and support for the handloom sector.
On 1 December 2016, the Hathkargha Samvardhan Sahayata (HSS) was launched with the aim of providing looms and accessories to weavers to boost their earnings by enhancing the productivity and quality of handloom products. Under this scheme, the Government of India covers 90 per cent of the cost of the loom or accessory, while the remaining 10 per cent is paid by the beneficiary. The share of the government of India is directly transferred to the beneficiary’s bank account through a designated agency.
Similarly, an initiative was taken on 7 August 2015 to make the Indian Handloom Brand during the celebration of National Handloom Day. The ‘India Handloom’ brand was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote high-quality handloom products. This brand focuses on producing niche handloom products with authentic traditional designs that are environmentally friendly and defects free.
This has been received very well across segments and since its inception, 1,232 registrations have been issued across 122 product categories, generating a whopping sale of Rs. 833.69 crore.
Another innovative concept that has helped in the revival of the handloom industry is the concept of an urban haat. These have been established in major towns and metropolitan cities to provide direct marketing facilities for artisans and weavers, and in the process eliminate intermediaries. More than 35 such urban haats have been sanctioned across India and have received overwhelming response from sellers and buyers.
The revival and innovation in India’s handloom industry are multifaceted and dynamic. It requires the collective effort of the government, NGOs, designers, and most importantly, the consumers. By embracing the handloom industry’s potential for innovation while honouring its traditions, one can ensure that this ancient art form continues to thrive.