Highlighting handlooms 

A Handloom Fashion Walk was held recently to promote handloom culture & commend weavers and women entrepreneur

Bengaluru August 19 dmanewsdesk: When global brands reign the market, threat looms over the indigenous sectors which is financially crippling the handloom weavers. On National Handloom Day on August 7, there’s a crowd at handloom showrooms, a smidgen of debates over the sector’s gradual decimation but the persistent ills that plague the industry are far from being resolved.-ADVERTISEMENT-Ads by 

From a once-thriving sector, weavers are finding it difficult to sustain themselves. To promote the handloom culture and commend weavers and women entrepreneurs, the Women Entrepreneurs Ladders (WEL) hosted a Handloom Fashion Walk recently at Earthen Wellness in Ulsoor. This event was hosted by the founder of WEL Revathy Krishnakumar, and founder and MD of Earthen Wellness Sharmila Ravinder Dhareshwar.

“We wanted to promote handloom weavers to raise awareness about the dying industry. Every guest attended the evening in handloom sarees, and the 13 women entrepreneurs walked the ramp wearing handwoven sarees,” said Krishnakumar, adding, “To celebrate 75 years of India’s Independence, entrepreneurs walked the ramp showcasing Patola silk, Kanchipuram saree, Paithani and Assam silk saree, among others.”

The plurality of India cannot be confined to only its religion and culture but also in attire and designs that convey the history. Dr Archana Diwan, a dental surgeon, who walked the ramp in an Assamese handwoven saree said, “The saree was purchased from one of the handloom exhibitions. I was able to buy the handwoven saree directly from the weaver.”

Apart from the apathy of consumers, age has also shaken the sector’s foundations with a majority of weavers becoming too frail to work and the young generation’s sapping interest culminating in its downfall. Those who have taken up weaving are small in number since the occupation cannot sustain their families.“A majority of those in this sector are women. Supporting the handloom industry is a huge step towards women empowerment,” said Priyanka Singh, director, Semillero International School.

Source: The New Indian Express