Handloom Industry Failing in India

The Handloom Textiles constitute a timeless facet of the rich cultural heritage of India and the symbolic value of khadi is evident even in today’s world.Tradition of weaving by hand is a part of the country’s cultural ethos.Innovative weavers with their skillful blending of myths, faiths, symbols and imagery provide the fabric an appealing dynamism. As an economic activity, the handloom sector occupies a place next only to agriculture in providing livelihood to the people.The element of art and craft present in Indian handlooms makes it a potential sector for the upper segments of the market, both domestic as well as global.

 However, the sector is beset with manifold problems such as obsolete technologies, unorganized production system, low productivity, inadequate working capital, conventional product range, weak marketing link, overall stagnation of production and sales and, above all, the competition from the mill sector. 

The growth in power looms, now supplying more than 70% of Indian textiles, according to textile ministry statistics, came on the heels of a systematic destruction of the handloom industry, coupled with illegal encroachment of handloom markets through perfect imitations of handloom products.

Nevertheless, There is no decrease in demand for pure handlooms (in cotton, silk and wool) at the international as well as national level and No other nation in the world is equipped to meet this demand, because no other nation has as many working handlooms as we have. Instead of destroying this rich heritage, we should build it as a proud national industry.The government and other organization related to handloom sector should deal with these problems for the development of handloom industry.