Fabric of a nation: Sustaining India's handloom legacy in modern times

A sixth-grade social science textbook that I read described India as a piece of fabric, with countless threads coloured in a myriad of majestic shades, woven together. This metaphor holds exceptionally well when put into the context of our handloom industry.

India has a rich history of handlooms and weaving cultures. The culture of handlooms is so intricately woven into Indian culture, that there are whole towns dedicated to the same: Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh to Pochampally in Telangana and a dozen more!

Unfortunately, the handloom industry in India is dying. The struggle is multi-faceted, ranging from a declining workforce to fierce competition from power looms. Hence, five years ago, August 7 was proclaimed National Handloom Day in response to this crisis and to heighten public awareness.

This date holds special historical significance, commemorating the initiation of the Swadeshi Movement in 1905—a pivotal act of defiance against British colonial rule.

When did this industry come into existence?

According to archaeological findings, the origins of handloom in the Indian subcontinent may be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization. The Mughal Empire was known to support and patronise weavers. The support from the royal patrons resulted in the invention of new textiles such as ‘Mulmul’ and ‘Banarasi Brocade’ among others. This era witnessed a heightened worldwide demand for Indian textiles. In the 17th century, India produced 25% of the world’s textiles, with Bengal accounting for more than 50% of textiles and 80% of silks imported by the Dutch from Asia.

What led to the decline of the Indian handloom?

The East India Company's entry fuelled the industry's initial decline, which started in the 1830s. The weavers were obliged to sell only to the British, and that too at exceedingly cheap prices, virtually putting them out of business. On the other hand, Indian cloth was taxed excessively to promote machine-made British clothing.

The Industrial Revolution in Britain strengthened their indigenous textile industry, giving rise to new markets for cheaper textiles. In India, the collapse of the Mughal aristocracies meant no access to royal patronage. As a result, textiles like Khadi and muslin had little demand in the market.

Circling back to the present, the industry is facing both similar and new challenges. Fabrics made on power looms are cheaper and faster to produce, in comparison to handloom fabrics.

The industry is largely unorganised, and the wages are shockingly low. 67% of handloom workers are earning less than the minimum wage every month. Faced with economic challenges, the older artisans are thus forced to encourage the newer generation to choose an alternative career path. This migration of the workforce from a traditional sector is evident from the fall in the number of weavers less than 35 years of age- from 26.13 lakh in 2009-10 to 16.07 lakh in 2019-20.

The majority of weavers do not have access to banking facilities, let alone institutional credit. Furthermore, if one manages to accumulate credit, there is a mismatch between the supply and demand forces due to the lack of awareness about handwoven textiles in the current generation.

Initiatives for revival

The cultural significance of the Indian handloom isn’t just limited to its beauty and extravagance, but it extends to our independence struggle as well. The Swadeshi movement immortalised the charkha and advocated for the use of indigenous goods. Following independence, the Indian government took many measures to revive the handloom industry.

In 1953, India’s Parliament approved the Khadi and Other Handloom Industries Development Act. In 1955, the All India Handloom Fabrics Marketing Cooperative Society was formed to promote the sale of fabrics produced by handloom cooperatives across India.

The National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) aimed to provide financial assistance for marketing and production. The Handloom Weavers’ Comprehensive Welfare Scheme offers health and life insurance to weavers, to ensure social security. The organisation commenced a fortnight-long exhibition, “VIRAASAT” dedicated to celebrating the 10th National Handloom Day began at Handloom Haat in Janpath, New Delhi on Saturday, 3rd August 2024, and will conclude on 16th August 2024.

The Handloom Mark scheme was introduced to authenticate handloom products, thus enabling weavers to gain better market access and ensuring that consumers get genuine products. Moreover, the India Trade Portal also mentions that the GOI plans to provide financial assistance of Rs. 30 crore to at least 10,000 handlooms.

Various state governments also regularly conduct handloom expos and fairs, providing platforms for weavers to showcase and sell their products directly to consumers.

Contemporary Brands and their love for Indian handloom

Modern, popular designers such as Sabyasachi and Ritu Kumar are known to work closely with weavers and have been doing their part by bringing worldwide attention to the handloom industries. Recently, Ajrakh was brought into the limelight when Alia Bhatt wore a custom Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla Ajrakh saree to Joy Awards in Riyadh.

However, it’s not just the fashion moguls who are working towards the revival of this industry. Contemporary indie brands are partnering with local weavers, and creating awareness about their work. The emergence of such indie brands and their association with local artisans is beneficial for both entities.

For instance, Joskai Studio derives its name from ‘Joskai’, a woven piece of cloth worn as a part of the traditional costume of the Tiwa community of Assam. They work with artisans in northeast India, specifically from the weaving village of Saualkuchi in Assam. Rouka by Sreejith Jeevan is a Kerala-based brand that works strictly with weavers from Kerala, specifically Chendamangalam and Kuthampally.

Employment and Exports

According to the Indian Trade Portal, the Indian handloom sector is the country’s second-largest employer after agriculture in rural areas. The Handloom Census 2019-20 mentions that the industry employs about 35,22,512 workers across the country, with women forming 77.29% of the workforce.

India is the second largest exporter of handloom products in the world, with exports valued at $ 353.9 million in 2017- 18, as per EXIM bank's working papers.

The major handloom export centres are Karur, Panipat, Varanasi and Kannur where handloom products like bed linen, table linen, toilet linen, floor coverings, and embroidered textile materials and curtains etc. are produced for export markets. During April 2021-February 2022, India exported handloom products worth 1693 crore, as per Indian Trade Portal.

Indian silk scarves also form a sizable chunk of total handloom exports, in addition to home textiles like carpets, rugs and mats, which constitute over 13.6% of India’s total handloom exports.

The Path Forward

The mere existence of organisations and allocation of funds isn’t enough to sustain the legacy of India’s rich handloom industry. Big corporations working with local weavers ensure employment but don't protect them from exploitation and meagre wages, leaving them vulnerable.

The people in power ought to come up with strategies that ensure the trickle-down effect of the schemes and funds. The new generation of buyers has a greater purchasing power than the one before them. Marketing focused on bringing Indian handloom practices into the limelight can do wonders in this case.