Handloom becomes trendy as more designers adapt it

The handloom sector in India is on revival mode and designers are chipping in along with entrepreneurs, and NGOs. Handloom is the flavor of the season and many designers have realised this and are working with weavers, paying them well, helping with designs to reach national and international levels.

Niche stores are getting attracted by the untapped market potential of handwoven heritage products. Bangladeshi designer Bibi Russel for example is inspired by Rajasthan, the colors and variety of designs there. Karryah, an online store that offers western wear for women, has been working with weavers of Rajasthan and Bhagalpur. Jaypore, a curated online platform for traditional handloom and handicraft products from Phulia, Murshidabad, Machlipatnam and Bhagalpur too is making mark. Similarly, Biswa Bangla stores in West Bengal employ more than 7,000 traditional artisan families who work with modern designers and have revived traditional products.

The Handloom School in Madhya Pradesh trains students from six states, and imparts knowledge in modern design, computers, the English language, marketing and entrepreneurship. It also familiarises them with the use of social media tools for business. The Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) has been organising fashion shows based on handloom fabrics.