A land of variety in every sense—India has so much to offer, it might just take you by surprise. From the array of delicacies to the interesting customs, traditions and festivals we celebrate, every state has its own cultural identity. And an essential part of that is the attire of the people. Did you know that not just the outfits, but even the fabric used to make them are unique to each state of India? Yes, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, every region has its own handloom techniques that are used to weave many unique fabrics.
Along with the artistry of weavers, the Indian handloom industry demonstrates the richness and diversity of Indian culture. With over 4.3 million people directly and indirectly involved in the production, the handloom industry is the second-largest employment provider for the rural population in India after agriculture. Indian handloom products are known for their unique designs and finesse. The trend is to mix old designs with new techniques and create original products.
The industry has strong infrastructure, with about 2.4 million looms of varied designs and construction, indicating significant production capacity.
Weaving is a method of textile production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. Other methods are knitting, crocheting, felting, and braiding or plaiting. The way the warp and filling threads interlace with each other is called the weave.
Handloom industry occupies a prominent place in decentralized industrial sector of India. Handloom is the largest unorganized economic activity in India, next to agriculture. It is scattered over the entire length and breadth of the vast country, mainly in rural and semi-urban and partly in urban environments, providing employment.
Weaving is technique of fabric production. It consists of intertwining of two separate yarns or threads at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. Those two threads are called warp and the weft. Fabric is usually woven on a loom which is a device that holds the warp threads in place while weft is woven through them. There are also other methods of weaving. The method where the warp and weft interlace with each other is called the weave. The basic types of weave are plain weave, satin weave and twill which give different patterns and textures of fabrics for different uses.