West Bengal’s Tantuja to reach out to global shoppers

Reputed for its exquisite collection of heritage textiles, the 60-year-old Tantuja - handloom

weavers' co-operative under the West Bengal government plans to retail its unique products online to reach out to the global shoppers. This move would mark the West Bengal government's first online textile venture.

The heritage weaves, mainly saris woven in ancient textile clusters, including the districts of Nadia (cotton from Shantipur, Phulia) and Murshidabad (a sericulture hub) will be made available online by partnering with an e-marketing firm next month. The shoppers will get access to the famous Shantpuri-Phulia cotton saris and Jamdani and Tangail six yards in Murshidabad silk and cotton, among many other varieties.

In addition to the earth-toned and pastel saris designed with customary Kolki motif as well as symbols of foliage, climbers and the banyan tree and a few selections by West Bengal’s chief minister Mamata Banerjee, a whole new range of pure silk kurtis will also be retailed on the e-platform. Tantuja's products like stoles, scarves and kitchen linen are already exported to European countries like Germany and France as well as the US, Israel and Finland. Domestically, it has been supplying weaves to Kerala for the last three years and plans to explore opportunities in the states of Assam and Andhra Pradesh.