Fabric of Freedom gets Fashionable 'the Khadi'

Gandhiji takes the credit of being the pioneer designer and (brand) ambassador of the Indian nation for khadi apparels. What was instigated by him, has now developed into an inferno, spreading rapidly; and globally.

Khadi means any cloth that is hand spun, and hand woven. Gandhiji advised people to wear khadi fabrics instead of foreign threads. He describes Swadeshi (country made goods) as the soul, and khadi as its body. (Source: Nationalism: its theory and principles in India, by Parmanand Parashar). Khadi fabrics are different from handloom in a way that it is completely hand made, whereas yarns for the handloom fabrics are processed at mills. Yarns of a khadi fabric are made through a spinning wheel, the charkha.

Over the years, khadi fabrics that were generally considered as the second skin of the Swadeshi revolutionists changed its uniqueness. It underwent a metamorphosis from that of a patriot's fabric, and a farmer's apparel, to become a fashion fabric. Primarily, the price and roughness of the fabric were not preferred by fashion-savvy people. But, presently, the growing demand for khadi apparels is on an ever-increasing pace, that even the million workers involved in the spinning process are unable to satisfy the market demand.

The Fashion Recognition:

Today, khadi fabrics are not just restricted to cotton, and have many aspects. Khadi blends with other fibers to make raw silk khadi, matka khadi, poly khadi, tussar silk, and many more. The fabric that was initially available only in a single almond hue is now presented in 30 alluring shades. The fabric has gained global recognition with the courtesy of the fashion industry that promotes the fabric in a way; never before. Khadi apparels are worn by the runway models displaying an array of outfits from bridal saris to beachwear; made from khadi fabrics. The cloth has grabbed the eyeballs of international fashion designers, sprawling elaborate designs exclusively for khadi fabrics.

Sales and Export Potential:

New opportunities for khadi were created when the Indian economy was opened to world markets. The post multi-fiber agreement regime also enhanced the growth of exports. Total textile production of India is around 3, 00,000 crores, of which khadi fabrics constitute 650 crores, i.e., 0.22%. Sale of khadi apparels is likely to pick up especially during the month of October, due to Gandhi Jayanti. Generally retailers declare special discount sales which last for 108 days; to skim-the-cream during this period. Depending on the style and pattern, these apparels are seen in store racks in a price range of `400-2,500. There is a good demand for khadi products both in the domestic and international markets. If appropriate actions are taken to restrict the supply constraint, facilitating the international networks to utilize the existing export demand, the khadi sector will flourish remarkably.