The Handloom industry is one of the oldest forms of textile production, as old as human civilization itself. The weaving industry is a testament to life’s colourful tapestry and human story.
On this National Handloom Day, let’s dive deep into the Indian handloom industry and find out what sets it apart.
What entails a handloom?
You might be curious about what handlooms are and how handloom weaving works. In simple terms, a handloom is a machine made of wooden frames of different sizes. Skilled weavers use it to create fabrics from natural materials like jute, cotton, wool, silk, and more. It’s run by hand and doesn’t need electricity, making it a super eco-friendly way to make textiles.Â
The way it’s done is by weaving two sets of threads, known as ‘the warp’ (Hindi translation: taana) and ‘the weft’ (Hindi translation: bana), together to form the fabric. These fabrics can be made in many different colours and on various looms, making everything from basic fabrics to intricate designs and art.
Tracing the Indian Handloom History
The advent of the handlooms can be traced back to the days of the Indus Valley in India. The weaving process was as a staple as growing crops for daily consumption. Each family had their weaving spindles for fabrics, which is evident from the cotton fabrics found during excavations. So much so was the widespread nature of the handlooms, groups and associations of artisans emerged within the villages and cities, gaining patronage under the rulers, thus accelerating the spread of the weave far and wide. Under the Mughals, weaving was used to canvas the kings’ conquests and battles on the fabrics, thus elevating its stature to an art form.
Turmoil, British colonization and subsequent loss of royal patronage was a death blow to the handloom industry. Calamity struck the industry both on the supply and demand front. The British policy of exporting raw cotton for machines and mills in London raised the prices to absurd highs. The policies banning Indian handloom-made fabrics from being sold in foreign markets depleted the artisans’ markets.
This phase was a heavy blow to the sector since not only did the profits and markets decline, but livelihood opportunities were scarce for artisans, too. As a result, many abandoned the profession and moved to agriculture, thus almost eliminating the art from Indian history.
Resurgence with Khadi: Handlooms are symbolic of self-reliance. Mahatma Gandhi thus emphasized self-reliance and promoted charkha and self-weaving of clothes. The idea took off fervently among the masses and the leaders alike. This rebirth of handlooms was further aided by the protectionist policies of the Independent India government against foreign-made goods, giving a much-needed fillip to the dying sector.
Symbolic importance of Handloom fabric
Indian Handloom shouldn’t be restricted to the power of hands and artistry that our artisans belt out. Instead, the handloom sector should also be observed from the myriad lens of roles it plays in society. Women’s empowerment, employing 70% of rural women or the symbolic attire of politicians, reflects India’s self-reliance and simplicity.
The sector is the 2nd largest contributor to employment in India’s unorganized sector after agriculture. It substantially adds to the foreign earnings by way of exports, with demand, particularly from developed and Middle Eastern nations. The value of exports exceeded USD 450 million annually from 2019-20 to 2022-23 (Indian Trade Portal). Handlooms have played and continue to play a crucial part in India’s soft power worldwide. Thus, the Indian Handloom story is the story of Indian culture of modernity and traditionalism.Â
Present day challenges
Although handloom continues to be prized for its artistry, the demand for the same has faced stiff competition from fast fashion and the affordability of machine-made fabrics or copycats. Yet, the Indian government’s initiative to declare August 7, National Handloom Day is a step in the right direction for raising awareness regarding its sustainability and environment-friendly fashion choice.
At Banarasi Poshak, we are committed to furthering the efforts of the Govt. and bringing the creative world of Indian Handloom to the world stage.
Author- Sakshi Singh
