How to support India’s handloom industry, one stitch at a time

There are many ways you can support India’s gorgeous handloom industry. I’m sharing what I’ve done over the years, so that it can help you also fall in love with Indian textiles like i have.

Explore what’s in your home

Open your sister or grand mum’s closet and look at the amazing saris, dupattas, and other garments. See how they feel against your skin, the textures, the weight and the prints, and the small nuances that make them so unique. Do you love khadis? Or chanderi silks? Jamdanis or kora cottons? You need to understand and fall in love with their handcrafted flaws and incomparable beauty, to embrace them.

2. Read up our textile history

There are many beautiful books on India textiles. To deepen your exploration on what’s there, I do recommend some of the following books:

• Saris: Tradition and Beyond by Rta Kapur Chishti

• Rapture: The Art of Indian Textiles by Rahul Jain

• Shifting Sands: Kutch: Textiles, Traditions, Transformation by Archana Shah

• Handcrafted Indian Textiles: Tradition and Beyond by Martand Singh, Rta Kapur Chishti and Rahul Jain

• Clothing Matters: Dress and Identity in India by Emma Tarlo

• Empire of Cotton: A Global History by Sven Beckert

3. Wondering where to buy textiles?

It’s easier than ever to buy textiles at the click of a mouse.

Some of my favorite places to look are 200 Million Artisans, Artisans’ Centre, Paramparik Karigar, Women Weave, iTokri, Desi Trust, Antaran, Dastkar, Save the Loom, Looms of Ladakh and Delhi Haat. Keep an eye for pop ups and travelling exhibitions by the above. (read our interview with Yash Dongre here.)

4. I’m excited! So now what?

Well, now you own beautiful fabrics, dial the digits of your masterji who can sew them up into beautiful clothes. There are many small, independent brands which also make gorgeous clothing from handloom fabrics, so you can pick up gorgeous modern and traditional apparel directly from them.

5. I have many heirloom crumbling handloom fabrics at home…

That’s great! Can they be repurposed, if you don’t want to wear them as is? Make them into pants, dresses and kaftaans. Or if they are really old and too precious, you can even frame them on your wall or sandwich them between the glass of a table. (think the old gold zari saris or pashmina shawls from your grand mum).

6. Is this the only way?

Of course not! Handloom can be a big part of your accessories (think masks and stoles!) They can be an integral part of your home, be it bedding or kitchen also. You don’t need to wear handlooms only. Why don’t you wrap gifts in them also? With a small hand written note.

7. I’d like to explore this deeper

Wonderful! As per the 4th All India Handloom Census (2019-20), the total number of households in India engaged in handloom activities (weaving and allied activities) is 31.45 lakhs.

In fact, only 4 states of India account for 18 lakhs of all weaver households in the country. They are :

• Assam (10.9 lakhs)

• West Bengal (3.4 lakhs),

• Manipur (2.1 lakhs) and

• Tamil Nadu (1.7 lakhs).

8. So, when I travel, what can I do?

When you travel, a great way is to visit a cluster and see the work of the weavers closely. Plus, you can buy directly from them, supporting their craft and building a deeper appreciation of the legacy they uphold from their forefathers.

Let us know what your thoughts and views are on how you can incorporate more textiles in your life.

Crafts, Culture, Camels and the Charkha

The survival of India’s handlooms

Neeti Mehra is an award-winning, multidimensional communications professional and brand consultant with 20+ years of experience in bringing stories to life. She works as an independent storyteller at the intersection of sustainability, ecology and people, shaping the voice of homegrown and international brands. In 2007, she founded Beejliving, a multi-disciplinary platform that records our living traditions, making them accessible and relevant to a young, curious audience. Through the lens of modernity, she interprets ancient practices, showing there is an alternate, viable path to living a fast-paced, burnt-out life. In 2024, she was featured on the cover of The Week magazine's health supplement for being the leading voice in advocating slow living in India. In February, she launched the #BeejLivingPowerCircle a B2B platform targeted to help conscious businesses in India scale.

Neeti has partnered on projects with leading global brands such as Marriott International, Jaipur Rugs, AB InBev, South African Tourism and the India Wine Awards. She is a former editor with FICCI’s India Travel, LuxeBook, and Indian Express Newspapers.
She has been published in over 60 global publications such as Lonely Planet, Vogue, Condé Nast Traveller, GQ, The Hindu, Business Traveller UK, The Spruce, Treehugger and The Times of India, writing about responsible luxury and sustainable living.
A Technical Accountant, Neeti has a Post Graduate Certificate in Yoga & Tantra and Indian Aesthetics from Jnanapravaha. She has completed a CSR workshop with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. A student of Vedic studies since the past six years, she has also been studying Sanskrit. She has studied traditional knowledge of Ayurveda, Jyotish and Tantra with world-renowned Ayurvedic practitioner, Dr Robert Svoboda. A wine lover, she finished her WSET Level 1 award in wine with a perfect score.