Handlooms are a way of life in India, an integral part of Indian culture. And for a large chunk of the vast populace, it is also the sole bread and butter. Ironically, their beauty are better appreciated abroad than at home. The popularity of this textile form, even under the onslaught of hundreds of synthetic textile materials can be attributed to the versatility in terms of colours and the uses to which the materials themselves can be put to. The ornamentation and weave give distinguishing features to handlooms from various parts of the country.

Cotton handlooms are classified as fabrics and made-ups. Made-ups are furthers classified as Floor coverings, bed covers and bed spreads, pillow and table covers, towels and napkins, place mats, curtains, blankets, sacks and bags, patchwork, shawls and mufflers and others. In a welcome shift of trends during the last fifteen years approximately, made-ups have come to occupy the place of prominence while the proportion of fabrics in handlooms have declined to 10 per cent of total handloom exports from the country. The value addition fetches bigger orders and higher margins for the exporters.

The export performance in cotton handlooms has been steadily on the rise except for a fall of about 5-6 per cent in 1999-2000. (Figures for 2000-01 are not available as exporters no longer need to get endorsement from the Ministry for exports, beginning January 2001. Figures are available for only up to December 2000 and are yet to be published). The decline in exports in 1999-2000 can be attributed mainly to lesser offtake from Europe and America which, have been our largest markets. In the European Common Market, UK, Germany and France are the biggest markets for both fabrics and made-ups wile Japan, Singapore and Malaysia are at the top of the list of importers from India in Asia. In part, the decline in exports in 1999-2000 is due to the disadvantage Indian goods have when they are in competition with Pakistan and China both in terms of price and quality.

“There is high demand for quality stuff – in very big quantities. But the delivery schedules that the buyers demand is not within our capabilities. In such cases, we do not quote at all,” says an exporter of handloom made-ups. The problem is that they are “hand”looms, which cannot be made to work three shifts or whose speed cannot be increased with the turn of a knob. As buyer requirements of designs and weave become more complex, the time required to deliver goods is longer. On one hand, the skill of the craftsmen is very important, and on the other hand, there is dearth of skilled hands. This is due to the poor living conditions the vocation offers though it is widely recognised that the level of artistry and intricacy achieved in handloom fabrics is unparalleled and beyond the scope of modern machines.

There are a number of weaving centres across the country, but not all of them produce items that are required in the export markets. The Ministry of Textiles has stepped in at these places through Weaver Service Centres, to provide ideas for switching from traditional items to exportable items. Ten Centres across the country have been identified for this purpose including Paramakudy in Tamil Nadu and Shantipur in West Bengal.

The Handoom Export Promotion Council set up in 1965 for promoting handwoven products, silk and readymade garments, now works exclusively for export promotion of cotton handloom fabrics and made-ups. As part of the promotional activities, the council disseminates trade information and intelligence, creates awareness of Indian cotton handloom products abroad¸ liaisons with the Government of India on all procedural and policy matters relevant to the handloom export trade and also organises business missions/buyer-seller meets apart from participating in trade fairs abroad.

Member exporters get yarn at subsidised rates for export purposes and the council provides inputs to exporters on designs preferred abroad. The council publishes importers’ and exporters’ directories and product directories for benefit of its members and buyers and are widely circulated and made available across the world.

Among the proactive initiatives by the council is the production of three volumes of Indian colour catalogues presenting 240 shades each, of dyed cotton representing the characteristics of Indian hues and shades that have found favour with international buyers. The catalogue has helped our exporters cope with the changing preferences in colours from season to season. The Computer Aided Design Centre set up to help exporters design products, get approval from buyers and then start manufacturing as per buyer requirements has also been widely appreciated.

Developing new products to suit global tastes, new markets for existing and innovative products _ all these have been taken up in right earnest by the HEPC. It has identified certain exclusive and exquisite handloom techniques and is now employing it to manufacture products to suit the international market demands. The exotic "Ilkal saree designs" are now extended to a wide range of furnishing fabrics created by a unique traditional "Kondi technique" which means looping. The fabrics are now called Kondi furnishings. The manufacturing techniques adopted in Jamdani sarees of West Bengal and the techniques adopted in Tie & Dye of Orissa are adapted to create fabulous bedcovers, table cloths, table mats, cushion covers & curtains, giving the international buyer a wide range of ethnic Indian designs in home furnishings to choose from.

To Put The Best Foot Forward…

Dyeing is the most important process in the production of handlooms as fastness of colours is given high importance by international buyers. Setting up of processing units at important production centres will go a long way in ensuring that Indian goods are not rejected on this ground. Repeat sales to the same buyer has been found difficult due to poor quality of stitching in made-ups, especially of home textiles like curtains, bed covers and table covers, pillow covers. This obviously calls for improvement in the tailoring machines and thread used, not to mention the skill of tailors.

The phasing out of quota-based multi-fabric agreement, globalisation of trade, competition from neighbouring countries, fickle trends in international fashions, lack of automations in the Indian handloom industry as also skilled labour have posed major challenges to the industry. Training Centres for young weavers and better remuneration or living conditions are among the most likely ways to bring more talent into the vocation.

An analysis of the current trends indicate that pricing needs to be competitive and quality more reliable if we are to survive in the world market as exporters of handlooms goods. As cost of production is high and the productivity of labour low, both manufacturer exporters and merchant exporters are finding it difficult to adhere to the exacting standards of international buyers. Formations of bigger co-operatives using modern production techniques, exclusively producing for export requirements may solve the problem of economies of scale and productivity.

The export potential of the African continent has been showing a positive trend in the recent past as South Africa and Nigeria lead the trend while the Oceania countries of Australia have seen a sharp declines in arrivals from India. As part of its effort to enhance exports, a better understanding and servicing of the needs of virgin markets like Latin Amercia and South Africa are being attempted by HEPC.

Upgradation of quality, through modernisation, innovations for customers and publicity for Indian products at the right points of demand, quick response to buyers and use of skilled manpower will go a long way in righting the situation to a large extent and bring India to the place of pride that it deserves in the International market.

EXPORTS OF COTTON HANDLOOMS FABRICS:

To important destinations in 1999-2000
 

ASIA		Rs crores
SINGAPORE	Lungies & Sarong, dhotis, sarees, Dress materials	14.75
Malaysia	RMHK, Lungies, Sarees, dhotis, furnishings	9.98
Japan	Shirtings, casements, furnishings, dress materials	6.60
AFRICA
Nigeria	RMHK, lungies, sarees, jacquards, and others	10.08
Dohomey Republic	RMHK and others	5.87
S. Africa	Lungies & Sarong, Shirtings, furnishings	2.43
EUROPE
UK	RMHK, furnishings and others	29.94
Germany	Misc items incl furnishings and lungies	14.33
Sweden	Furnishings & others	9.32
AMERICA
USA	RMHK, Sarees, dhotis, Shirtings furnishings others	42.00
Argentina	Furnishings & others	1.06
OCEANIA
Australia	Furnishings & others	10.6
New Zealand	Furnishings & others	1.31

EXPORTS OF COTTON HANDLOOM MADE-UPS

To important destinations in 1999-2000
 

ASIA
Japan	All items. Floor coverings dominate.	140.80
Malaysia	All items. Floor coverings and curtains dominate	8.05
Korean Rep	Floor coverings, placemats * others	6.34
Singapore	Almost all items. Floor covering and curtains dominate	6.10
AFRICA
S Africa	All items except patchwork and shawls and mufflers. Floor covering, placemats, pillow and table covers dominate	15.61
Nigeria	Shawls Mufflers and others	1.36
Dahomey Rep	Shawls mufflers and curtains	0.82
EUROPE
UK	All items. Curtains and floor coverings dominate	216.97
Germany	All items except patchwork. Flooro coverings, curtains, pillow and table covers dominate	145.89
France	All items. Flooro coverings, curtains and bed coverings dominate	102.43
Sweden	Floor coverings, curtains, pillow and bed covers	82.41
Norway	Pillow covers, floor coverings, curtains and others.	14.96
Finland	Floor coverings, pillow and table covers, bed covers	12.73
AMERICA
USA	All items. Floor coverings and pillow covers dominate.Bed covers, towels & napkins, placemats and curtains are other important items.	540.00
Canada	Floor coverings, curtains and placemats.	42.56
OCEANIA
Australia	Curtains dominate. Placemats, towels and napkins, floor coverings are important.	56.37
New Zealand	Placemats, pillow and table covers	9.35