‘Achhe Din’ for carpet makers! Government planning standards and trademark for indigenous carpets

The government is in the process of developing a trademark to reinforce India's position as the top source of handmade carpets, while setting standards that would make sure that these products comply with quality benchmarks.

The textile ministry, headed by Smriti Z Irani, is working on its plan to create a brand for Indian handmade carpets, like Australia's Woolmark, which guarantees the highest quality of wool.

Also read: ByeByeSmriti: From Text to Textiles, Twitter is trolling Smriti Irani after she is dropped as education minister

"We are working on a brand... a trademark that will ensure that the products comply with the standards set by the organisation," Mahavir Pratap Sharma, chairman, Carpet Export Promotion Council, told ET. "We will take two or three years to create parameters on turnover, employment and compliance with effluent treatment norms."

India’s handmade rug exports industry stands at around Rs 9,000 crore and is 40% of the global contribution, with Iran, China, and Nepal being the other key players. While Iran accounts for about 20-25% of total exports, China has about 20%, while Nepal has a 10% share.

Europe and America, on the other hand, are the chief importers, and take almost 95% of the total imports.

The council is also considering establishing training standards so that weavers can meet certification norms.

"We want India's handmade carpets to become synchronous with the brand. We want to put it across that handmade carpets can be as per customers' choice, unlike machine-made rugs," he said.

(Image source Discovering Chennai)