Handloom industry focused on sustainability, energy efficiency: Singh

In his address, Vice President Dhankhar underscored the importance of promoting handloom products as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ‘Be Vocal for Local’ campaign. He stressed that handloom products are essential not just for India's economic growth but also for the global movement towards sustainability in the face of climate change. "Promoting handlooms is the need of the hour, the need of the country, and the need of the planet," Dhankhar stated, emphasising economic nationalism as a pillar for India’s economic independence.

Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh spoke on the industry's commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency. He pointed out that India's handloom community is the largest in the world, producing goods with a zero-carbon and zero-water footprint. He also highlighted the government’s efforts, under Prime Minister Modi’s guidance, to enhance the textile value chain, thus improving income opportunities for weavers and their families. "Seventy per cent of our handloom weavers are women, making this a truly women-led industry," Singh noted.

As part of the celebrations, the Vice President conferred the prestigious Sant Kabir and National Handloom Awards to outstanding weavers. Additionally, the award catalogue and a coffee table book titled ‘Parampara - Sustainability in Handloom Traditions of India’ were released. Various activities, including exhibitions, workshops, and social media campaigns, are being organised across the country to honour the handloom sector and generate awareness about its contributions, the Ministry of Textiles said in a press release.

The ‘VIRAASAT’ exhibition, currently underway at Handloom Haat, Janpath, is one of the highlights of this year’s celebrations. The exhibition showcases handloom products from various exotic locations across India, providing weavers and artisans a platform to directly engage with the market. The event also features live loom demonstrations, workshops, and cultural performances, further enriching the experience for attendees.

The National Handloom Day, first celebrated on August 7, 2015, was established to commemorate the Swadeshi Movement launched in 1905, which played a pivotal role in promoting indigenous industries. The government of India continues to support and empower the handloom sector through various schemes, ensuring the sustainable development of this culturally rich industry and instilling pride in the craftsmanship of India's weavers.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)