Entrepreneurs help traditional Indian weaves find newer markets

PUNE: Traditional Indian weaves have found a foothold after entrepreneurs' help by way of supplying them with designs to attract buyers. Silk, jute, wool, and man-made fibres matter, but the rich and varied textile heritage owes it to cotton. For the craft tradition to survive, craftwork must satisfy the functionality and aesthetics of consumers, they said.Kunal R Sachdev of Caravan Craft Retail Pvt Ltd said they work with 17 clusters around the country. "From the handloom weaves of Manipur to Jamdani and muslin fabric of Bengal, from the applique work of the Rabari community in Gujarat to Bandhani and Leheriya in Rajasthan, from Dhokra of Orissa to the silver Bidri inlay from Karnataka, we have built linkages with crafts across India," he said.The designs integrate traditional Indian crafts without compromising on the core value of the products for consumers.Sachdev opened his first store in Bangalore and followed it up with another in one of Pune's biggest malls on Nagar Road. The city is already home to a number of stores like Fabindia, Anokhi and Bandhej. In fact, over the next two-three years Fabindia seeks to open 200 franchise-run stores in smaller cities. that showcase traditional weaves. Prominent among them being, Fabindia, Anokhi and Bandhej. In fact, over the next two-three years Fabindia seeks to open 200 franchise-run stores in smaller cities.Mamta Swaika of the Goa-based Indian Story initiated the Indian Story saris, textiles and shawls' section working directly with weaver clusters in Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. "We spread to Punjab, J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala. Now we are looking to revive some weaves from those that have declined like Venkatagiri and Gadhwal," she told TOI.The concept was conceived during her travels. "We work ceaselessly to preserve the unique flavour of Indian handicrafts. The most treasured is the tapestry of our weaves. Pashmina, kanjivaram, paithani, baluchari, chanderi and tussar are a kaleidoscope, but the crowning glory is the hand-spun and hand-woven khadi. It was humbling to see the exquisite materials that the affluent adorn being produced in underdeveloped areas," she said.These entrepreneurs went about marrying traditional arts with contemporary designs. The end-results were not only a revelation, but also garnered enough praise for them to spread and deal with more traditional clusters where art forms were getting lost.The entrepreneurs used their own designer talent pool to come up with designs that would suit the global market. Once the designs are made and approved, the craft is sourced out to traditional artisans, leading to immense customer satisfaction. And artisans can also aim for a more self-sufficient living."The aim is to create customer-focused merchandise by training artisan communities. The crafts, and the millions, who depend on it for their livelihood, face an insecure future. Many crafts are at a point of near extinction," said Sachdev.The desire to conserve the textile heritage formed the catalyst for Indian Story. The most crucial factor was to channel youths to preserve these crafts, said Swaika.As for the artisan, Sachdev said, "We launched our retail operations less than a year ago and we find that some impact is already being felt at the artisan level. We find that the smaller the cluster, the higher the impact. In some cases as high as 50% on a wage-hour basis."