With the ubiquitous demand for well-crafted carpets, shawls and durries, the Indian weaving industry is definitely awaiting a revolution, says Samiksha Raj
Most of us must have seen our grandmothers spending their time weaving beautiful baskets or mats. Years from now, Banarasi and brocade saris were a must-have in all Indian weddings. While countries like China, Nepal, Morocco and many other North American, European and even countries from the Indian subcontinent have seen their weaving industry decline or on the verge of extinction, India, which has a rich heritage of this age-old industry, seems to be the lone player in the race. “Rapid pace of technological advancements in various countries is leading to the neglect of ancient traditions. I feel India will be the last bastion for the weaving industry. Although the current state of the industry isn’t much positive but I feel Indian weavers will be definitely accorded a second chance,” says Sumeet Nath, managing partner, Raj Group, a leading name in the art of carpet and rug weaving in India. To celebrate 75 years of weaving traditions, Raj Group has come up with an exhibition at Mira Corporate Suites to showcase the creations of talented weavers of our country — the exquisite carpets, which are usually meant for floors, are being displayed as wall hangings and art works.
The history of weaving in India tells us that it was once the largest provider of work force, second only to agriculture sector. Indian weaving industry still continues to be a promising sector of employment (especially tapping the rural human resource) although the weavers are decreasing in number.
Nath says, “Weavers are still continuing their craft because of two reasons. Firstly, they are highly skilled and know the art very well and secondly, they are much aware of the fact that the demand for woven products like carpets, durries, shawls and baskets among others isn’t going to die out.” He also explains that popularity for these handmade and woven products is stupendous overseas. But what is acting as a deterrent is the price clash between Indian weavers and foreign takers. Indian weavers are pricing their products exorbitantly. Various organisations are coming to the fore to help the weavers with a stamp of certification for their products as buyers wish to invest for certified goods and same is with the international market as well who show keen interest in licensed products by Indian weavers.
The Indian fashion design fraternity is a body that is known to work closely with traditional Indian textiles and weaves. In the process they promote them and lend a voice to the thousands of Indian weavers who are unable to reach out to a wider masses. Designers like Anju Modi and Ritu Kumar make conscious efforts to incorporate the prized wealth of traditional Indian textiles and dying crafts in their creations to take forward our rich Indian repertoire of splendid weaves which otherwise remain snubbed.
“International designers are intrigued by the finesse of Indian weavers. They do conceptualise and work on their designs in their native countries but for weaving it’s always India that they prefer as they look for authenticity in their creations,” says Nath.
“When it comes to fabrics, natural ones like cotton, wool, jute and bamboo are never out of fashion and are most sought-after in the market. Although, synthetic fabrics are available in plenty and are cheaper but natural fabrics will always have an upper hand,” adds Nath.
A lot of innovation is in process in the weaving sector. Carpets now form just one part of the output. Today there are pillows, poufs, bath mats, throws, window treatments and table top textiles being created, which employ intricate weaves. Nath also enlists the steps that are being taken towards the upliftment of the Indian weaving industry and also hopes for an upswing with the new government venturing into the country. “Various exhibitions are a good platform to aid the industry as it’s here that we educate our customers about Indian weaves and the tradition which further gets a boost through word of mouth. Also, e-commerce has been constantly supporting the initiative as the websites in their product catalogue also include a lot of information about the type of weave and other related facts, which creates awareness among online shoppers.”