Alok Kumar, the Development Commissioner (handlooms), said: “The domestic market has huge potential but the problem is branding and reach. To address this, the department has tied-up with e-commerce players and private companies to sell handloom mark products. We foresee very high levels of sales with the e-commerce partners in the next five years.”
Traditionally, handloom was focused on sarees and ethnic wear. To attract the younger generation, the Ministry is looking at Indo-Western products, casual and office wear.
The Ministry says portals are approaching weavers directly, too; one has apparently done with 24 weaver societies. The weaver or manufacturer has to get approval and registration, and are then linked with an e-commerce partner for uploading specified products on the portal.
E-commerce firms, retail groups boost handloom sales. The e-commerce partners create a separate home page, with web links for the handloom mark & products. Payment to the weavers’ accounts are done speedily, of 92 per cent of the sale value, on average.
It seems a weaver society producing Ikat fabrics has got a bulk order from the Future Group. Another, for Pochampalli has got an initial order from the Aditya Birla Group.
Source: Business Standard