August 7th is celebrated as National Handloom Day, officially supporting the handloom industry in India. On this day, the government honours the handloom weaving community for their immense contribution to the socio-economic development of the country.
The handloom industry in India is the largest cottage industry, employing over 3.52 million people, with a high (~72%) representation of women workers. It is a vital, eco-friendly rural economic activity with roughly 2.8 million looms, contributing roughly 15% of total cloth production.
India’s heritage handlooms represent the timeless craft of the artisans and weavers who for generations have worked towards preserving this art form. Each state in India has its own signature work and aesthetic that is truly unparalleled. The artisans have a rich heritage of techniques and knowledge that has passed down through generations, and a continuous effort of embracing handlooms is required to sustain this art form and give the artisans their due credit.
We at Spun & Woven work with weaving clusters from different states – sourcing handloom fabrics and also creating our own designs.
Every collection takes months to come to us, starting from fabric selection, colour schemes, patterns and designs. Once we receive the final product, it goes through a manual quality check for any defect in fabric. Printing patterns and handwork is not considered as a flaw or imperfection as there are bound to be irregularities in any handmade product which adds to the charm of the handloom.
We are a young brand who is finding its place in the world of fast fashion and trying to contribute to the revival of handloom not only in India but across the world. Most of our ready-to-wear designs are made to order as we do not believe in storing inventory, not only does it prevent fabric wastage but also keeps the production cycle sustainable. You might find handloom to be expensive than the garments flooding the market – it is because handloom is completely handmade from scratch by artisans/weavers who are struggling to keep this art form alive. There is no machine involved in the entire process that fastens the process or creates multiple copies of the same design. Every piece is created on a loom set up by the artisan/weaver who then manually weaves life into these threads.
We offer free shipping in India but for international orders it’s a flat rate that the courier charges. You can place an order directly at the website or get in touch with us (+91 7838309796) for custom orders.