Indian handlooms ready to woo global consumers

Realising the need to revive age-old Indian techniques of weaving a cloth, many designers are working with artisans to offer traditional designs in contemporary styles. Designer Gaurav Jai Gupta, for instance, who is also a trained weaver, is known for his ‘engineered’ saris and for weaving stainless steel into textiles. Handloom, according to him is surely making a comeback. No wonder, export promotion councils of handloom and handicrafts are now opening Indian handloom exclusive stores globally through the franchise model.

Promoting handlooms globally

Sometime ago, leading ecommerce platform Flipkart signed a MoU with DC, Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles, to promote handloom products belonging to various clusters. As per the MoU, Flipkart will provide an online marketing platform to handloom weavers from across the country, a move that will help artisans tap the growing number of online shoppers. The company has also agreed to help weavers produce items as per the buyers' requirement.

E-commerce platforms have been providing a much needed boost to the handloom sector by offering designer pieces in handloom. Online portals such as IndianRoots, Chanderiyaan and Ekaya stock handloom products to cater to rising demand, while creating awareness and assisting weavers’ community. Chanderiyaan, for instance, helps weavers in the Ashok Nagar District of Chanderi with digital skills. Ekaya focuses on decorative weaves, handwoven and needle-crafted art, from Banaras. The portal also showcases a short documentary on the processes of weaving.

IndianRoots too has set its eyes on global market for handloom, with its unique offerings. It has roped in designers like Sabyasachi, Anita Dongre, Meera & Muzaffar Ali and Raw Mango, among others, to woo fashion lovers across the globe.

Rare designs make a mark

Several designers such as Abraham & Thakore, Rajesh Pratap Singh and Neeru Kumar have successfully tried to work with handlooms creating mesmerizing designs. Gaurav Jai Gupta is combining multiple weaving techniques and styles from across the subcontinent to create a single nine-yard sari or a dress. Gupta makes use of his studio’s loom as well as looms in Phulia, Chanderi and Banaras to develop designs with signature style of weaving metal and crystals into fabric.

Weavers in small towns like Phulia or even Shillong, have been making efforts to reach out to the takers to make a living and keep the art alive. Today, soft handspun cotton saris from Phulia and silk dresses woven in Shillong have found customers across the nations. Shillong’s Daniel Syiem, for instance, with an ambition to promote his culture and revive traditional Northeast weaves by giving them an international and contemporary twist, has been crating waves on the global map. His all-organic collection at the Lakme Fashion Week this year, introduced lesser-known weaves such as Ryndia and Thoh Rew Stem.

After getting appreciation for his effort, Syiem for his next collection is working with a textile designer to develop new weaving techniques and revive old patterns and checks, further adding local flavor to his label.