The pride of place – India’s handloom Industry
India's handloom industry has usually been associated with the image of craft,
what is often forgotten is that it is the second largest provider of employment in the country after agriculture. Given this, there is a definitive thrust by the Government to augment the sector and give it support to shape up into a well defined industry. One such initiative has been the development of handloom clusters. The main purpose of developing these clusters has apart from the agenda of social development and keeping a skill heritage alive, the vast potential available in working with handlooms. The strength ranging from flexibility of production in small quantities, openness to innovation, low capital investment and the magical design combinations that are possible. Being one of its kind, the export potential is tremendous as also its usage in the domestic market. Of the various schemes launched including development of Mega Clusters as per the budget, it is the Integrated Handloom Cluster Development Scheme set up across the country as projects in 20 places which is creating a role model as a base for sourcing particular fabric.
The Integrated Handloom Cluster Development Scheme – By definition, “The Integrated Handlooms Development Scheme (IHDS) is an attempt to facilitate the sustainable development of handloom weavers located in and outside identified handloom clusters into a cohesive, self-managing and competitive socio-economic unit.” The clusters comprising 300 – 500 handloom units / weaves per cluster. The scope of the scheme to make the group self sustainable, to up grade the skills of handloom weavers to produce quality products, give design inputs, innovation, financial credit, create yarn banks, dyeing units, Market orientation by associating entrepreneurs, designers and professionals for marketing, designing and managing the production, To facilitate process of credit from financial institutions/banks. To encourage co-operativisation of weavers.
Holistic
and flexible interventions to provide need based inputs specific to each cluster/group……The
objective to make the cluster self sustained so that it can compete as a unit
in the market.
The Pilot Scheme – The pilot scheme which can be replicated has been set up at various places and today there are 20 pilot projects. These are at Bargarh, Barabanki, Bhagalpur, Bijoy Nagar, Bijnore, Burdwan, Chirala, Gadag, Chanderi / Gwalior, Imphal, Kullu, Kurinjipadi, Madhavaram, Mubarakpur, Nadia, Sonepur, Thiruvannamalai, Trichy, Thiruvananthapuram and Varanasi. Spread across the country, the products in each of the cluster as diverse as it can get. The implementation agency which also looks at co-ordination is different in each of these clusters but what stands out is the range of products which have been developed exclusively in each of the sectors. Some of them so strong that it is used as a sourcing base by designers both Indian and International.
For example Bargarh in Orissa though a traditional hot bed for ikkat and tie and dye, the products have been innovated upon to make some different products especially dress material and more importantly curtains and home furnishing. Similarly from Bhagalpur, the haven for silk makes excellent stoles, stitched kurtas, dresses….BijoyNagar in Kamrup Assam specializes in some excellent innovative cotton products. The traditional Muga sarees, silk mekhela chaddhar designs have been transformed into more market oriented chic sophisticated ones with innovations like eri shawl, stoles, cushion covers…. Chirala of real madras handkerchief fame, is a well developed Cluster. It specializes in the use of fly shuttle loom which is further added on with barrel dobby, lattice dobby, jacquard. Smaller designs with 24 threads extra warp design are used to weave dhoties while lattice dobby is used to make designs with 48 threads of extra warp designs. Jacquard looms weave designs with extra warp and weft. Traditional low priced products which were once woven are today woven along with high cost products especially sarees. Thirvuanathapuram cluster specializes in the traditional white with zari border traditional sarees , the famed Balarampuram sarees / dhoties, woven painstakingly. Now the repertoire extends to other products like cotton shirt cloth….
Each
cluster has its own strength, what it offers is a sourcing hub for fabrics,
embroidery and more. In most of the cases the implementing agency is also a
marketing organization which is well equipped to deal with orders. For example,
the Chirala Cluster the implementing agency is APCO (The Andhra Pradesh State
Handloom Weavers Co-operative Society Ltd.). which has its network across the
country. Similarly the Thiruvananthapuram cluster the implementing agency is
Haneev – Kerala State Handloom Development Corporation Ltd., Kannur, Kerala.
Kurunjipadi cluster has Co-optex as the implementing agency. Each of these
agencies has a wide marketing network, showrooms, participation in exhibition
which gives it a professional edge.
What further boosts working with these clusters is that several of them are equipped with yarn banks and dyeing units. Meaning, the buyers can order and the cluster has the resources to process the orders. It is not like dealing with a single handloom weaver, where the buyer may have to get involved with everything from buying of the yarn to the colours and means of dyeing. Vegetable dyeing unit has also been set up. Here the process is more professional. Another big plus is that many of these clusters work with designers from NID and NIFT to come out with some innovative extraordinary designs. Buyers can take a pick from these, there is also innovation in the mix of yarns like muga / eri / with jute / cotton…etc. Existing stock is also available. The clusters are a huge boon to designers who can get smaller quantities in innovative designs and in as many colours of their choice.
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