Ancient Craft, New Markets: Where Tradition Meets Trade
The 12-year-old boy, stared wide-eyed, at the strings carefully weaving into a beautiful Banarasi saree.
He learned his weaving skills from his father, a 4th-generation handloom artist, upholding a legacy of over 200 years. Back then, these were considered heirloom pieces, only accessible to the people who could travel and pay for this craft.
Today, handloom has found its audience online, and even reached the Oscars.
Weaving can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilisation. The remains of handlooms and spindle whorls are found at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.
Archaeological remains of handlooms and spindle whorls have been found at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.
Archaeological remains of handlooms and spindle whorls have been found at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.
But in this day and age, handloom textile marks 60% of all handloom exports, with mats and carpets at a share of 12.4%, and everyone’s favourite silk scarves accounting for $13.2 million in exports.
You know the beautiful Sarees people display on social media?
Well, 78.6% of that comes from West Bengal, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Assam.
Meanwhile, Assam also captures a whopping 77.4% of Shawl production.
Even though handloom garments are often reserved for special occasions, North-Eastern and Eastern Indian states, including Assam and Tripura, account for 78.6% of their production.
Adding West Bengal to the former, they grab a strong hold of 84.4% in the production of household textiles.
From 2022-2023, the export of handloom products stood at a tremendous $10.94 billion globally.
Their top fans are the USA with an import of 32.1%, UAE at 7.1%, and Spain at 6.9%.
The handloom market is the largest and oldest cottage industry.
It houses 2.8 million looms that employed 3.52 million people, with 72% being women, yay feminism!
Social media has seen an uproar in handloom fashion, and the primary reason behind it is sustainability.
As is known, natural materials like cotton and linen degrade much faster than nylon, and sustainability has taken centre stage, especially in fashion.
And with 125 million online shoppers, e-commerce is fueling handloom sales.
This comes with the ease of buying by directly connecting with brands that empower artisans.
The great attention to handloom comes from the growing interest in sustainable products.
With the rise of conscious consumerism, handloom is no longer just about tradition but about the future.
Raw materials used in textiles are usually cotton, silk, wool and linen - natural fibres that return to the Earth naturally.
Additionally, incorporating natural dyes and creating something beautiful brings results and empowerment.
Speaking of empowerment, weavers are getting a major boost through the National Handloom Development Program. ₹30 Cr has been approved to install 10,000 handlooms.
Further support comes from the MAI (Market Access Initiative) Scheme, which helps promote handlooms through trade fairs and financial incentives.
Moreover, with the RMSS (Raw Material Supply Scheme), weavers will get a 15% subsidy on yarn, and transportation for delivery will be reimbursed.
Though the market is growing in attention, some companies have already made a solid ground, even in the global market.
One of India’s oldest textile brands, Raymond, holds a market cap of around ₹4,000 crore.
Right behind them is Arvind Ltd. with a market cap of over ₹8,500 crore - specialising in knits, denims and apparel.
Home textile is dominated by Trident Ltd. with a ₹14,360 crore market cap.
For investors and culture lovers alike, India’s handloom story is turning into a strong, sustainable value play.
Sources:
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