Prime Minister Modi has declared 7th August as the international day of Handloom Sounds bombastic we could have begun with a simple national dedication. But of course no harm in thinking big.
Coming from Udupi and being an ardent fan of our weaving there is lot of anguish that is there. https://parwatisingari.wordpress.com/2010/12/11/handloom-from-udupi-udupi-kaimagga/e
Handloom jeans seem an interesting option. Denims made from handlooms have all the potential application on par with the mill made denims.
The biggest challenge is dealing with myths that revolve round sustainable clothing choices. Â The major one being the expense, the fact that these are not mass produced but are custom products makes it expensive. The product benefits the environment and living being, it neither drains the resources nor pollutes it. Since the process is manual, the weaver weaves about 3-5 meters of denim fabric per day when compared to the 500 meters produced by the mass product.
Customers opting for sustainable clothing makes handloom denim hopeful.
How far International day dedication  is effective well I do not know, but if this means we can  infuse some life into a means of livelihood that is fast dying so be it.
I am not looking into the cause but the effect of whatever it is in the faulty education system we fashion designers and textile engineers but our looms are silent. Despite efforts by the NGO’s and few existing weavers association there is a dearth of weavers.
The focus on Khadi is there every Oct.2nd to January 26th. A lone Padmini Kolhapure trying to revive paithani is not sufficient; of course she had done yeoman service to the Paithani weavers of Aurangabad.
Of course weaving and handloom is skilled work, we are talking artists here. Yet the end buyer always has this impression that handloom ought to be the lowest end of the fabric chain.
Secundrabad has an organization called the sacred spaces who are trying to revive the handlooms and other home industry. https://parwatisingari.wordpress.com/2015/03/23/adivaram-angadi/
Flipkart tried to go support the Prime minister’s declaration with a day’s discount on Handloom, well Flipkart you could have extended till at least August 15th.
http://www.flipkart.com/affiliate/displayWidget?affrid=WRID-143908507072494904
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