KGSN brands khadi styles

The Kerala Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi (KGSN) constituted in 1951, as a living memorial to Mahatma

Gandhi has given brand-names to its ready-to-wear khadi outfits. It has also launched a collection of special kids, adults and women wear, prepared out of khadi weaved in its own manufacturing units. The kid’s khadi wear has been named ‘Sheetal’, while the men’s wear has been named ‘Sarvodaya’. The women’s wear particularly churidhars and salwars have been endowed with the brand name ‘Surabhi’. KGSN weaves the khadi cloth in its own manufacturing units and then sends the fabric to other states for printing and dying. The fabric is then stitched into ready to wear garments at KGSN’s own garment manufacturing unit, which are then decorated with embroidery work or are hand-painted.

KGSN has established 64 rural development centres in different parts of the state. Through these, KGSN promotes integrated development programs encompassing agriculture, village industries, community health and adult education.

Besides, khadi over the decades has moved from being a freedom fighter’s identity fabric to a fashion garment. At one time it was scorned as fabric for the farmer and the rural wearer. Today there is such a demand for khadi that despite the million workers all over the country involved in spinning and weaving it, they are unable to meet the demand. In 1989 the first high fashion khadi show was presented in Mumbai by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) where nearly 85 dazzling garments were created by Devika Bhojwani.