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Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
NABARD celebrates National Handloom Day
Live Events The National Handloom Day celebration is being organised by NABARD New Delhi Regional Office on 12-13 August 2025 highlighted the enduring legacy and cultural significance of India's handloom sector . The inaugural function of the two-day event gathered key stakeholders from various sectors—government, financial institutions, academia, and the handloom industry— to discuss the future of the sector and explore strategies for promoting its inaugural function on 12 August 2025 was co-chaired by M Beena, IAS, Deputy Commissioner of Handlooms, Government of India, and Shaji K V, Chairman, NABARD. Key dignitaries who attended the event included Commodore Rajiv Ashok (Retd.), Managing Director of NHDC, Haragopal Yandra, MD NABCONS, Ashok Kumar Nagawat, Vice Chancellor of DSEU, Aditi Gupta, DGM RBI. The participation of representatives from SLBC, LDMs, Chairperson of Ambpali Handloom and Handicraft Multi-State Cooperative Society Ltd., and various weaver societies further enriched the dialogue and led to insightful exchanges on improving the of the key highlights of the National Handloom Day was the exhibition, which displayed a wide range of traditional handloom products. Exhibitors included representation of different states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi among others. The products displayed ranged from Maheshwari and Kanjivaram sarees, Batik prints, and block print bedsheets, to readymade garments, woollen shawls, and organic food K V, Chairman shared his grassroots experience in the handloom sector, underscoring NABARD's transformative role. He elaborated on the various initiatives undertaken by NABARD, particularly the reforms in cooperative banks and regional rural banks. These reforms include technology-driven interventions, digitization of cooperatives, and streamlining the credit disbursement process to make financial access more efficient for artisans and emphasized that handloom is not merely a craft but a narrative—one that can be woven with themes of sustainability, circularity, and cultural richness. NABARD's support for Geographical Indication (GI) tagging, both in the pre-registration and post-registration phases, was highlighted as a significant value addition to handloom products. He also spoke about the Off-Farm Producer Organization (OFPO) initiative and NABARD's commitment to working in challenging regions, promoting market-based solutions, building capacity, and scaling production with intent and purpose.M. Beena expressed her appreciation for NABARD's efforts in convening a diverse group of stakeholders, including weavers, artisans, bankers, government agencies, regulators, and NGOs—entities that often operate in isolation. She stressed that handloom is not just a heritage but a living heritage, pointing to the fact that India has over 35.22 lakh handloom workers, including 26.73 lakh weavers and 8.48 lakh allied workers. More than 70 percent of these workers are women, with the proportion rising to 74.5 percent in rural areas. Of the 31.45 lakh households engaged in handloom activities, 88.7 percent are in rural regions. A significant 73.2 percent of handloom workers operate independently, while only 6.3 percent are part of cooperative societies, and 19.4 percent work under master emphasized the growing relevance of handloom in the era of conscious consumption, slow fashion, and ethical production, which aligns with global movements toward reduced carbon footprints. She expressed delight at the overwhelming response to Handloom Day from stakeholders, NABARD, universities, and other NABARD on its initiatives in the GI sector and support for non-farmer producer companies, she called for greater collaboration across the sector between the GoI and NABARD. She emphasised that the journey of the weaver to the entrepreneur and to exporter needs support by various stakeholders. She also highlighted the importance of platforms likewhich serve as dedicated spaces for promoting authentic handloom products and connecting artisans with wider Kumar Roy, GM/OiC, New Delhi RO highlighted the role played by ecosystem enablers like NABARD, Government of India, NHDC and others in the sustainable development of handloom and handicrafts. He stressed upon the need to provide livelihood to weavers and develop the value chain of the Gopal Yandra, MD NABCONS in his address highlighted the importance of the handloom sector and exhorted that we need to believe the handlooms, we need to help the rich heritage of the handloom products in India to make it more Rajiv Ashok (Retd.), Managing Director of NHDC in his address the importance of believing in the potential of the handloom sector and called for more efforts to preserve and promote India's rich heritage. He suggested to promote and create awareness on handloom and handicrafts among school students to foster appreciation for traditional crafts. He also mentioned the need for post-Geographical Indication (GI) support, an area where NHDC is already active, and emphasized that improving the working conditions for handloom workers should be a priority for all from various weaver societies, including the Ambpali Handloom and Handicraft Multi-State Cooperative Society, along with bankers, shared their insights and experiences, while also articulating their expectations from the government and NABARD.
The Hindu
07-08-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Weave the Future 2.0: A textile journey from seed to stitch
On National Handloom Day, August 7, the Crafts Museum in New Delhi opened its doors to a textile exhibition that looks beyond fabric and the Future 2.0 – The Regenerative Edition, organised by the Ministry of Textiles, turns our attention to the origin of textiles — from soil and seed to handloom and stitch — and the systems that sustain them. Scheduled till August 17, the exhibition brings together over 30 brands, artisans, designers, and grassroots organisations working with indigenous cotton and regenerative practices. Rather than showcasing just finished products, it invites visitors to explore the entire journey of textile-making where tradition, ecology, and design come together to shape a sustainable future. While the first edition of Weave the Future focussed on upcycling, this year goes further into its roots. 'It felt like the natural next step was to go beyond reuse and begin asking: What are the systems behind what we consume? Can we heal them, not just extend their life?' says Dr M Beena, Director-Commissioner (Handlooms), who led the curatorial vision. This shift toward regeneration, she explains, is both philosophical and practical. 'It's about nurturing soil, knowledge, culture, and dignity across the textile chain. It offered a way to reconnect the dots between the land, the maker, and the wearer.' A living narrative Set across the Crafts Museum's village complex, the exhibition unfolds like a narrative. From spinning tools and traditional gins to modern garments and sound installations, each object is chosen not for its form, but for the story it tells about the deeper life of textiles. The story begins with a 'seed altar', an impactful installation that features indigenous cotton varieties, soil samples, and preservation tools. 'As simple as it may seem, the cotton seed carries the weight of history, land, violence, trade, and hope,' Dr Beena adds. Another highlight includes the Cotton 2.0 by Kora Design Collaborative, which traces the complete processing journey of 12 native cotton varieties — from harvest to handloom. Textile and fashion designer Sonam Khetan's soundscape installation documents disappearing natural sounds, while Lafaani's eco-printed textile panels, created with dried flowers and temple offerings, reflect on memory and the sacredness of the handmade. 'We wanted this edition to be experiential, not just educational,' says Dr Beena. 'Art creates a pause. It allows you to feel before you understand. The installations are invitations: to sit, to listen, to touch, and to slow down.' Bridging the system The exhibition consciously avoids a one-sided view of sustainability. It brings together farmers, weavers, policy enablers, and design studios, highlighting the role each plays in the larger textile ecosystem. Participating initiatives range from grassroots groups like Khamir and OOO Farms to responsible fashion brands such as Dhi Earth, Indigene, and 11.11. 'We made sure each participant could speak for themselves, through material, words and presence,' says Dr Beena. 'Rather than flattening differences, we chose to honour them as part of a shared ecosystem.' Workshops running alongside the exhibition include a natural dye lab, interactive demos on cotton processing, and film-led conversations on climate change and community resilience. All are designed to spark dialogue and deepen public understanding of where textiles truly begin. Reviving indigenous cotton At the heart of Weave the Future 2.0 is a quiet revolution: the revival of indigenous cotton. Varieties such as Kala cotton, Punasa cotton, Gavran Kapus, and Kondapatti make up just 2–3% of India's cotton cultivation today, but they hold enormous ecological and cultural value. 'These cotton varieties are hardier, need fewer chemical inputs, and are better suited to local climates,' says Dr Beena. 'They also support decentralised, community-led processing systems that preserve livelihoods and knowledge.' The exhibition argues for a return to these climate-resilient varieties and the traditional techniques — hand spinning, hand weaving and low-energy tools–that support circular, people-first economies. Beyond the museum While the exhibition runs only for 10 days, its goals are long-term. Plans are underway for open-source educational materials, curriculum pilots in design schools, and policy roundtables connecting cotton growers with sustainability frameworks. 'We see this exhibition as a seed planted,' says Dr Beena. 'What moved me most was the gap between people's willingness to make better choices and how hard the system makes it. This is about making invisible efforts visible and bridging that gap.'
Hindustan Times
26-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Weave the Future textile exhibition to focus on regenerative practices, indigenous cotton
New Delhi, The second edition of Weave the Future will bring together 30 brands and initiatives, including farmers, designers, and textile artisans, with an aim to reimagine the future of fashion through regenerative and handmade practices. Weave the Future textile exhibition to focus on regenerative practices, indigenous cotton The handloom exhibition, organised by the Development Commission for Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles, will be inaugurated by Minister of Textile Giriraj Singh on August 7 at the Crafts Museum on National Handloom Day. The second edition of the exhibition will highlight the role of handlooms in 'enabling mindful, culturally rooted, and circular production systems'. The event will focus on traditional, nature-aligned practices that encourage slower, more conscious consumption cycles, and highlight indigenous cotton varieties such as Kala cotton, Punasa cotton, Konda patti cotton, and Gavran Kapus cotton that are drought-resistant crops supporting ecological balance and rural livelihoods. From traditional farming knowledge to design innovation, from grassroots implementation to responsible branding, the edition will create space for engagement between the stakeholders in the textile value chain. 'Weave the Future – Regenerative Edition stands as a testament to the resilience, beauty, and profound cultural significance of India's handloom traditions. On National Handloom Day, we are honoured to create a platform that not only honors our weavers and our heritage but also sparks vital conversations around sustainability, circularity, and regenerative practices. "This initiative represents our collective commitment towards shaping a future where handlooms are not merely celebrated as a craft, but as living system of knowledge, community, and ecological harmony," M Beena, development commissioner , told PTI. Some of the participants include Laudes Foundation, IDH, and the Regenerative Production Landscape Collaborative in Madhya Pradesh, grassroots implementers like Udaanta Trust, KORA Collective, and Khamir, and brands such as Eka, Dhi Earth, Lafaani, and re-ceremonial. Apart from focussing on regenerative practices and indigenous cotton, the exhibition will feature installations to expand the conversation around sustainability, craft, and storytelling. A soundscape installation by fashion designer Sonam Khetan features large-scale textile panels, translating the disappearing natural sounds of a Californian wilderness area into woven spectrograms. Another installation by Kora Design Collaborative showcases 12 native varieties of cotton seeds and traces their journey through the entire indigenous cotton processing cycle 'What if every thread remembered' by Lafaani is a meditative eco-printed panel, marked with petals and hand-appliqued dried flowers reflecting memory and the sacredness of the handmade. The event will also host workshops on natural dye, regenerative fashion, and indigenous cotton. The exhibition will come to an end on August 17. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
SGCCI submit demands related to QCO
Surat: In a meeting with senior officials of the textile ministry in New Delhi, various demands related to the quality control order (QCO) were discussed by officials of the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI). The meeting was organised by the ministry, and various stakeholders were invited to discuss issues. The meeting was chaired by the commissioner of textile, M Beena. Representatives from textile machinery manufacturers and user industries from across India, the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), SGCCI, and others were present at the meeting. SGCCI was represented by vice president Ashok Jirawala, former presidents Vijay Mewawala and Ashish Gujarati, who submitted recommendations. It was suggested to the ministry that Europe, China, and Japan are the global leaders in textile machinery. To develop the textile machinery industry in India, it is necessary to study two factories each from Europe and China, and one from Japan. The study should cover how these manufacturers determine parameters for textile machinery design, the standard operating procedures they follow for manufacturing, the kind of facilities and locations they have for making machine components, if they have intellectual property protection for their sub-assemblies and components, and whether they have in-house laboratories to test machine performance parameters. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Neues Produkt hilft tausenden Deutschen bei Gelenkschmerzen Medizinmonitor Jetzt lesen Undo SGCCI suggested forming a task force to conduct this study, which should include members from the user industry as well. Additionally, to reduce the import of textile machinery, the SGCCI submitted suggestions that 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) approval should be given to top-level global original equipment manufacturers to start manufacturing in India. The central govt should formally invite them. SGCCI further suggested a production-linked incentive scheme should be introduced specifically for textile machinery manufacturing. Research and development facilities of large Indian companies should be leveraged to design world-class textile machinery in India. Manufacturing should take place through joint ventures with Surat's textile manufacturers. GST on textile machinery should not exceed 12%. Regarding impact assessment, the SGCCI stated that any funds utilised for the development of textile machinery in India should be evaluated by comparing the value of machinery developed domestically and the subsequent reduction in imports against the funds spent.
