India Handloom Brand Goes Online
India Handloom Brand Goes Online
Government is committed to raise the market positioning of handloom products: Textiles Secretary
The integrated website of ‘India Handloom’ Brand www.indiahandloombrand.gov.in was launched today by Mrs. Rashmi Verma, Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Textiles.
The website is a one stop platform for all services to consumers, bulk buyers and handloom producers. The website will provide full details of all registered India Handloom producers which will facilitate verification of genuine India Handloom product by customers. They will able to verify the genuineness of the Brand logo through the registration no. which is printed on every label on the product. The website will also provide information about the retail stores and e-commerce platform from where India Handloom branded products can be purchased. It will also contain brief description of every product category and tips to identify genuine products. Contact details of India Handloom Brand producers are available for bulk buyers like retail stores, garment manufacturers who will able to directly access the handloom producers registered under the Brand. The web site has also a section where handloom producers can apply online for registration under the Brand and can also track status of their application.
While launching the website, Secretary(Textiles) said that the Government is committed to raise the market positioning of handloom products for development of handloom industry and for increasing wages of handloom weavers. She said that website will be an important platform for achieving these objectives and would be user- friendly both for consumers as well as handloom producing agencies.
‘India Handloom’ Brand was launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister on 7th August, 2015, the first National Handloom Day, to endorse the quality of handloom products in terms of raw material, processing, embellishment, weaving, design and other parameters besides social and environment compliance. The main objective is to promote the production of quality products with new designs for winning the trust and confidence of customers by giving particular attention to defect free, hand woven, authentic niche products with zero defect and zero impact on environment.
The registration under the brand is given after stringent testing of samples in Govt. of India laboratory. By 10th February, 2016, 121 handloom producing agencies/enterprises have been given registration under the Brand in 33 product categories.Several e-commerce platforms and leading retail stores have been engaged for marketing of India Handloom branded products.
More than 43 lakh persons are engaged in this sector with annual production of 720 crore sq.mtrs which is 14% of the total textile sector. It provides livelihood to large number of rural women and backward sections of the society. Development Commissioner for Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles is responsible for development of sector in partnership with state governments. It is supported by 28 Weavers’ Service Centres and 10 Indian Institutes of Handloom Technology. National Handloom Development Corporation is responsible for supply of quality yarn, dyes and chemicals.
In order to address the main challenges of competition from powerloom sector, concerns of consumers about quality, and stagnant wages for weavers, new strategy aims at increasing production of high value good quality products leading to consumers satisfaction and remunerative earnings to the weavers. Block Level Cluster Approach to support quality production and ‘India Handloom’ Brand for market positioning are two key elements of new strategy.
Documented success stories have established that number of handlooms alongwith new jobs have increased wherever market linked design intervention has been taken up for supporting weaving of quality handloom products. Such efforts are being further strengthened by launch of ‘India Handloom’ Brand.
Shri J. K. Dadoo, Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor; Shri Alok Kumar, Development Commissioner for Handlooms and other senior officers of Ministry of Textiles were present on the occasion.
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Government is committed to raise the market positioning of handloom products: Textiles Secretary
The integrated website of ‘India Handloom’ Brand www.indiahandloombrand.gov.in was launched today by Mrs. Rashmi Verma, Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Textiles.
The website is a one stop platform for all services to consumers, bulk buyers and handloom producers. The website will provide full details of all registered India Handloom producers which will facilitate verification of genuine India Handloom product by customers. They will able to verify the genuineness of the Brand logo through the registration no. which is printed on every label on the product. The website will also provide information about the retail stores and e-commerce platform from where India Handloom branded products can be purchased. It will also contain brief description of every product category and tips to identify genuine products. Contact details of India Handloom Brand producers are available for bulk buyers like retail stores, garment manufacturers who will able to directly access the handloom producers registered under the Brand. The web site has also a section where handloom producers can apply online for registration under the Brand and can also track status of their application.
While launching the website, Secretary(Textiles) said that the Government is committed to raise the market positioning of handloom products for development of handloom industry and for increasing wages of handloom weavers. She said that website will be an important platform for achieving these objectives and would be user- friendly both for consumers as well as handloom producing agencies.
‘India Handloom’ Brand was launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister on 7th August, 2015, the first National Handloom Day, to endorse the quality of handloom products in terms of raw material, processing, embellishment, weaving, design and other parameters besides social and environment compliance. The main objective is to promote the production of quality products with new designs for winning the trust and confidence of customers by giving particular attention to defect free, hand woven, authentic niche products with zero defect and zero impact on environment.
The registration under the brand is given after stringent testing of samples in Govt. of India laboratory. By 10th February, 2016, 121 handloom producing agencies/enterprises have been given registration under the Brand in 33 product categories.Several e-commerce platforms and leading retail stores have been engaged for marketing of India Handloom branded products.
More than 43 lakh persons are engaged in this sector with annual production of 720 crore sq.mtrs which is 14% of the total textile sector. It provides livelihood to large number of rural women and backward sections of the society. Development Commissioner for Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles is responsible for development of sector in partnership with state governments. It is supported by 28 Weavers’ Service Centres and 10 Indian Institutes of Handloom Technology. National Handloom Development Corporation is responsible for supply of quality yarn, dyes and chemicals.
In order to address the main challenges of competition from powerloom sector, concerns of consumers about quality, and stagnant wages for weavers, new strategy aims at increasing production of high value good quality products leading to consumers satisfaction and remunerative earnings to the weavers. Block Level Cluster Approach to support quality production and ‘India Handloom’ Brand for market positioning are two key elements of new strategy.
Documented success stories have established that number of handlooms alongwith new jobs have increased wherever market linked design intervention has been taken up for supporting weaving of quality handloom products. Such efforts are being further strengthened by launch of ‘India Handloom’ Brand.
Shri J. K. Dadoo, Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor; Shri Alok Kumar, Development Commissioner for Handlooms and other senior officers of Ministry of Textiles were present on the occasion.
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Parliamentary Consultative Committee of Ministry of Textiles discusses Handicrafts and NIFT
Our dream should be that people in all corners of the globe proudly ask for “Made in India” Handicrafts: Textiles Minister
Linkage of Fashion with Handlooms and Handicrafts would be beneficial to both: Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar
Textiles Minister highlights new cluster-level approach to Handicrafts development for artisan empowerment
NIFT has deftly combined the local and the global in its pedagogy: Textiles Minister
Crafts Cluster Initiative and International MoUs highlight the global local approach of NIFT: Textiles Minister
Government is funding construction of NIFT campuses at Shillong, Raebareli and Srinagar: Textiles Minister
MPs call for strengthening of marketing and promotional activities of handicrafts
MPs congratulate the Ministry and NIFT for sustaining the world-class quality of NIFT
People in all corners of the globe should proudly ask for “Made in India” Handicrafts: this is the dream that the Textiles Minister Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar laid out before the members of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of Ministry of Textiles, held at NIFT, Hyderabad on the eve of the inauguration of Make in India Week, by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The Minister said that artisans by themselves cannot glorify the rich cultural heritage of our country; the combined vision and efforts of all stakeholders, along with Government endeavours, is required. Shri Gangwar underlined that all our energies, resources and enterprise should be wholeheartedly devoted to devising ways and means to realize this dream.
The Textiles Minister gave a brief overview of the initiatives being taken by the Government in this direction. He said that a comprehensive National Handicraft Development Programme has been launched which emphasizes integrated approach for holistic development & support to the crafts & artisans. The new approach is built on the key element of empowering artisans by skill upgradation, design development, technology upgradation and supply of raw material, through easily accessible Common Facility Centers at cluster level. Developing and strengthening marketing linkages through various options such as exporters, direct sale, participation in sale expos and e-commerce is another major component of new approach. Welfare of the artisans is being taken care of through Handicrafts Artisans comprehensive welfare schemes. The Minister also spoke of the export performance of the handicrafts sector.
Speaking of NIFT, Shri Gangwar said that the premier academic institution in the country in the field of fashion education and research has deftly combined the local and the global as a part of its pedagogy. Through the Crafts Cluster Initiative, NIFT faculty, students and alumni play a proactive role in the growth of traditional handicrafts & handlooms; at the same time, NIFT also collaborates with leading fashion institutions around the globe, through its 34 MoUs, to keep itself abreast of latest global trends and developments. The Minister said that it is a tribute to the academic rigour of NIFT programmes, that almost 3000 industry-ready professionals are delivered by its various campuses and placed with the best names in the fashion industry every year. The Minister recalled that almost all independent rating surveys of fashion schools place NIFT campuses on top of their charts. Shri Gangwar added that the Government of India is presently funding the construction of NIFT campuses at Shillong, Raebareli and Srinagar.
Shri Gangwar said that at the behest of his Ministry, NIFT is moving towards greater engagement with handlooms and handicrafts. He said that this linkage of fashion with handloom and handicrafts should be beneficial to both, i.e. NIFT students will get sensitized to our artistic heritage on one hand and handloom and handicrafts sector will get new ideas, insights and technology on the other. The Minister noted that another important dimension of NIFT is its role towards women’s employment and empowerment, given the fact that almost 80% of its students are girls.
The Members of Parliament highlighted the need to improve the reach of Government schemes to artisans. Citing the huge revenue and export potential of the sector, the MPs called for strengthening of marketing and promotional activities, through advertising and other means. The Minister replied that the Government has already linked handicrafts with tourism, and is pursuing this initiative in earnest.
The Minister said that it is a matter of credit for NIFT that there has not been a single complaint regarding admission this year. The MPs congratulated the Ministry and NIFT for sustaining the world-class quality of NIFT over the years. They also appreciated the collaboration of the institute with 34 reputed fashion institutes across the world. One of the MPs spoke of the need to increase student in-take as well.
The Minister thanked members for their valuable suggestions and urged the members to cooperate in the endeavours of the Ministry. He noted with satisfaction that the textiles sector is doing well in exports. Shri Gangwar exhorted the MPs to visit various places across India, to better understand the unique contribution of each place towards the textiles sector. MPs Shri Gopal C. Shetty and Prof. Ravindra V. Gaikwad from Lok Sabha and Shri Anand Bhaskar Rapolu from Rajya Sabha attended the meeting held today.
The previous meeting of the Committee was held on 2nd December, 2015 on “Cotton and Skill”, in New Delhi.
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