Great initiatives of charming handloom artists to help resuscitate the sector
Indian handloom artists are an integral part of the country's rich vibrant, cultural lineage/heritage. They have been weaving intricate and exclusive varieties of fabrics for generations, using time-old traditional techniques passed down from generations, and are transitioning now from traditional to modernity as digitization touches a range of spheres of manufacturing processes all across.
Introduction
However, despite their incredible inherent talent, skill, and immense contribution to the Indian economy, handloom artists are posed with severe existential challenges now.
Dampeners; Amongst a variety of factors that affected the livelihoods of these artisans with earning multi-decadal low can be attributed; The lack of government support, competition from inexpensive machine-made versatile fabrics, and the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic's battering impact on the Indian textile industry. Therefore, today it is business imperative to recognize/reward the value of handloom art and help support and promote these artists by highlighting their work, enabling them with fair minimum wages, and preserving their timeless traditional techniques for the generations to come.
About Birla Cellulose
A company that produces sustainable and eco-friendly fibers for global textiles. As part of a bigger corporate purpose it is fully committed to helping produce sustainable fashion, company has consistently undertaken varied initiatives to help promote & support the handloom industry in India.
Outlining one of these key initiatives entails conducting seminars to counsel, educate and engage with handloom artists as a grounds-up exercise. Through a series of seminars, Birla Cellulose has held clearly aims to provide handloom artists with the latest knowledge and skills in their field. Through these interactions & personalized engagements, the company attempts to provide information on sustainable textile production and phenomenal service, providing them with raw materials and technical assistance to produce high-quality textiles for the trade by counseling them to work out ways & means to lessen/reduce the environmental impact their work leaves.
With the theme of empowering handloom these artists support the livelihoods besides helping imbibe with these skills, Birla Cellulose expects to contribute to bringing life back to the Indian handloom industry creating beautiful and sustainable textiles for years.
Right initiative at the right time
Birla Cellulose, in partnership with regional organizations, has lately launched an initiative/movement to sensitize raising awareness about the definitive advantages of using sustainable fibers like Viscose, Modal, and Excel in handloom weaving at a time when sustainability theme is making the right noises.
By introducing these fibers to the weaver community, Birla Cellulose (maker of LIVA which is a new-age fabric from the Aditya Birla Group that contributes to a more sustainably produced fiber ) aspires to value offer a natural and cost-effective substitute to conventional fibers and preserve the profound, rich cultural heritage of the Indian handloom textile industry as an underlying cause.
Short point; Here it is important to outline that," Birla Cellulose has trained 1500 artists across seven states and supplied 5.5 lakh worth of yarn annually proving a point.
Getting Things Done
In the spotlight is Birla Cellulose's R&D center's active engagement galvanizing in the earnest to develop new yarns and fabrics, chugging along with helping commercial manufacturers develop new bases for printing with the latest, strategic in-demand yarns or altering the weaving patterns as price remains the bottom line.
Vocal for Local
As part of the Vocal for Local campaign gathering pace in the Indian manufacturing eco-system, the Birla Cellulose's Liva team has supported/assisted printers aligning with grey base manufacturers to avail quality fabric ensured at the right price.
Incrementally, with pre-production support, Birla Cellulose galvanizing extending its expertise, giving insights & more importantly assistance to post-production preconditions like tagging, online and offline market connect, roadshows, and door-to-door promotions amongst a series of activities underway, supporting the weaver community with a robust supply chain and consistent delivery of quality yarn helping enterprises generate inquiry leads.
Bottom line
The Birla Cellulose initiative will not only resurrect the industry but also has a clearcut objective of assisting the handloom sector aligning its growth with the improvement in the lives of connected artisans, leading to the realization of the "Make in India vision" envisioned by the state for the handloom sector thus preserving India's cultural heritage.
In summary, the future of the Indian handloom sector and artisans looks bright as there is a growing demand globally for sustainable and handmade products going forward. The actors & multi-stakeholders like government and non-governmental organizations are also visibly taking directional initiatives to boost, promote and support this sector.
Albeit, odds such as lack of market access and timely modernization are key needs to be addressed to enable a sustainable future for the artisans.
