NALSAR together with 300 weavers to write a new law to protect Handlooms

Hyderabad, November 16, 2018: First in the world Handloom Weavers of Telugu states shared the same platform with academia at Global Meet on “Rethinking Indian Industrialisation of Crafts” her at Chirala in Andhra Pradesh.

According to a press note issued in Hyderabad by Ravi Kumar Reddy of REEDS, a Hyderabad based NGO which is organizing the global meet, it was also the first time in the world that 300 weavers from both Telugu states and more so from Chirala got together to discuss their problems, share their achievements, uniqueness and also network, self help through mutual cooperation and learn.

A khadi products exhibition was organized by Registry of Saree, who have shown various Khadi products of the last 200years. The Registry of Sarees(TRS) is an innovative idea of two saree loves to share knowledge on the sarees. TRS carries on knowledge sharing hrough seminars and experiential textile trails to facilitate knowledge-sharing among sareelovers. Sarees will be discussed with respect to trade, culture, art and fashion revival. The Registry of Sarees celebrates the many weaves of India.

A Global Meet “Knowledge in Handloom Weaving in India” featuring many eminent speakers and experts from Oxford University, NALSAR, Columbia University, IIT Delhi, Netherlands, Germany and Italy is underway there for the past six days.

Weavers from Thailand, Thaiwan, China and Lavos shared their weaving technologies and how their industry is sustainable.

A group professionals from NALSAR(National Academy of Legal Studies and Research), a Hyderabad based reputed legal studies institute addressed weavers on Intellectual Property, Design and involved 300 weavers And offered to write a new law to protect Handlooms designed by the weavers disclosed the organizers.

The conference is also featured special exhibition by Mayank and his team from Delhi who brought 24 types of exclusive and exquisite fabrics from across India

Weavers from Kutch explained about their specialized embroidery skills. Weavers fronm Tripura, Manipur, Nagaland and Sikkim shared their weaving techniques. Couple of Weavers from Jammu Kashmir gave insights into Carpet Weaving. Weavers who are sheep herders gave live demonstration of their weaving technology and also discussed how changing technologies are changing their lives as well.

The participants, experts, academia, weavers by the end of the event will produce a paper on how innovations are sweeping Handloom industry in India for common knowledge.

It is organsied by Hyderabad based, NGO, REEDS--Rural Economic and Educational Development Society. It is a Not-for-Profit organization involved in formulating and implementing programs relating to various spheres of rural life. REEDS is a registered Society under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860.

The theme of the meet is “Rethinking Indian Industrialisation of Crafts”. It is organised in collaboration with Mr Mohan Rao of National Federation of Handlooms and Handicrafts, Prof Bijker of Maastricht University and Ineke Sluiter of Universiteit Leiden

The handlooms provide livelihoods for 4.3 million families, making it the 2nd largest employer sector after Agriculture.

The meet will provide a roadmap to transform the future of handloom weavers through innovations and network building.

The industry has the potential to create over one million jobs with the lowest per capita investment for creation of such jobs, through building on existing skills and social capital.

The handloom industry employs thousands of people across the state. However, due to certain perceptions regarding handloom cloth, and the necessity of competing with power loom imitations, growth in the sector is severely hindered.

For example, power loom designers can easily copy popular handloom designs and produce them in a cheaper fashion, as designs are not protected by copyright, eating into the demand for handloom cloth.

In order to improve the situation of handloom weavers, it is crucial to improve market and production infrastructure, capacitate weavers and designers to innovate deep craft skills, and provide access to credit and financial support. Designs have to be protected under the intellectual property regime. The system of production can be re-engineered such that the creativity of the weaver can co-exist with the demands of production to the designers taste. Handloom currently services many growing market niches; luxury, ethnic, semi-urban markets for sarees as well as green markets for sustainable goods. The meet is organised against this backdrop.

Many Scholars, artisans and other professionals involved in the textile industry are participating in order to better understand and promote futures and livelihoods in handloom weaving informed Ravi.

The organisers have lined up an impressive line of speakers who include: Uzramma of Malkha, Jaya Jaitly; Jagada Rajagopalan, Consultant; Amita Dhanda, NALSAR; Anique Hamelin, Classics and Ancient History, University of Amsterdam; Ashoke Chatterjee, Prabhat Education Foundation, Ahmedabad; BuYun Chen, Professor, Swarthmore College; Dorothy Ko, Professor of History and Women’s Studies, Barnard College, Columbia University; Ellen Harlizius-Kluck, Research Institute for the History of Technology and Science Deutches Museum, Munich; Rajeev Sethi, Asian Heritage Foundation; Sampat Mukhopadhyay, IIT Delhi; Subir Kumar Saha, IIT Delhi; Ulinka Rublack, Facujty of History, Cambridge University and others

The meet will go on till 19th November.