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History of Indian Handloom and Its Benefits

It is a cottage industry where the entire family is involved in the production of cloth right from spinning the yarn colouring to weaving on the loom if done by them the tools required for this entire process are made from wood sometimes bamboo and do not require any electricity to run them the entire process of fabric production was completely manual in earlier times thus this is the most eco-friendly way

By Amit KumarPublished 2 years ago 3 min read
History of Indian Handloom and Its Benefits
Photo by Judson Moore on Unsplash

It is a cottage industry where the entire family is involved in the production of cloth right from spinning the yarn colouring to weaving on the loom if done by them the tools required for this entire process are made from wood sometimes bamboo and do not require any electricity to run them the entire process of fabric production was completely manual in earlier times thus this is the most eco-friendly way

Indus Valley Civilization:

Indian handloom dates back to the Indus Valley civilization; even in ancient times, Indian fabrics were exported to Rome, Egypt, and China, and in earlier times, every village had its own weavers who made all of the villagers' clothing requirements such as sarees, dhotis, and so on. There were specific wool weaving centres in some areas where it was cold in the winter, but everything was hand spun and hand woven.

Natural Raw Materials:

Traditionally, the entire cloth-making process was self-sufficient. Cotton silk wool was obtained from farmers, foresters, or shepherds, and the cotton was cleaned and transformed by weavers or the agricultural labour community. Small handy instruments, such as the famous spinning wheel, also known as charkha, were used in the process. This hand spun yarn was mostly turned into cloth by women handloom weavers.

Unfair Competition:

There are many weaving styles that use machine spun yarn today, and these fabrics are referred to as handloom, while fabrics made from handspun yarn are referred to as khadi. Though textile and spinning mills continued to operate in independent India, and loom khadi was given extensive protection from unfair competition, the fabric was widely used and affordable to all. However, in the current scenario, since 1985, and particularly since the 1990s liberalisation, the handloom sector has faced competition from cheap imports and design imitations from power looms, as well as a significant decline in government funding and policy protection.

Whereas the cost of natural fibre yarn has risen dramatically in comparison to artificial fibre, the cost of natural fabric has risen significantly. This makes it unaffordable for the general public, but wages for handloom weavers have been frozen for the past decade or so. Due to their inability to compete with cheaper poly-mixed fabrics, many weavers are abandoning weaving in favour of unskilled labour, and many have been reduced to extreme poverty.

Beautiful Yarn Fabric:

Handloom is a timeless fabric that is unique in that no two fabrics are alike. Of course, the output depends on the weaver's skill set, but even if two weavers with similar skill sets weave the same fabric, the results will be different in some way because each fabric is a reflection of the weaver's moods. When a weaver is angry, the fabric is tight, whereas when he is sad, the fabric is loose, making each piece unique. In India, different weaving styles exist in different parts of the country, and within the same region, there can be as many as 20 to 30 different styles ranging from simple plain fabrics to tribal motifs and geometric designs.

Our Rich Textile Art:

Our weavers have been master craftspeople, and no other country can boast of such an exclusive wide range of rich textile art even today, where each woven saree is a masterpiece, just like paintings and photographs. Saying that handlooms must die because they are more time consuming and laborious than power looms is akin to saying that painting, photography, and clay modelling will become obsolete as a result of 3D prints and graphic designs.

Instance of our signature men's wear:

The most well-known comfortable wear for men known as "Lungi" is our signature and traditional apparel that reflects our clothing culture. Lungi originated in the Indian subcontinent. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Pakistan also wear it. In Singapore, Cambodia, Burma, and Thailand, it is also known as longyi. People in India prefer colourful and geometrically patterned or printed lungi and handloom cotton lungi that are woven from natural raw materials that are pure and harmless.

Depending on the tradition, both genders may wear it. Lungi designs and styles differ from state to state in India. Because India is a multilingual country, Lungi has many interesting names based on their language and tradition, such as dhoti, veshti, tehmat, mundu, and so on.

Benefits of wearing yarn fabrics:

Cotton is a pure natural raw material that is used to make yarn. It has the ability to absorb moisture, so it keeps liquid away from your body. It can easily absorb sweat and keep you dry. Cotton fabrics are odourless, cool, long-lasting, and require little maintenance. As a result, this is widely regarded as the most comfortable and natural fabric to wear on a global scale.

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Amit Kumar

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