A new initiative has been taken by Tamil Nadu Government to safe guard livelihood of their aged old handloom weavers by reviving the traditional methods of weaving, producing quality goods. The State has 2.56 lakh weavers and 1156 cooperative societies. A number of these weavers have visited the seven-day national handloom expo that began in the city yesterday.

The expo was inaugurated by handloom and textiles minister O.S. Manian at Kalaivanar Arangam in the presence of textiles secretary K.Phanindra Reddy and Co-optex managing director T.N.Venkatesh on Tuesday.

Manian said in his inaugural speech that the government has come up with a new initiatives to safeguard traditional weavers and its method which has given a new lease of life to these handloom weavers.

Venkatesh in his address said that about 15 weavers’ families in Sungudi, 40 in Thiruvannamalai, 50 in Karaikudi, 25 in Mayiladuthurai and 15 in Tirunelveli have revived the ancient handloom methods, producing good quality sarees. The products have been branded as ‘revival sarees.’

K.R. Ramkumar, one of the managers of a cooperative society said that Sungudi cotton sarees are hand crafted to perfection by skilled artisans of Madurai with ringed dots spread throughout the saree which forms a distinct feature.

The craft has a tradition of 500 years. The government has supported such artisans, equipping them to produce the sarees with modern contemporary designs by wax printing method using wooden blocks.

– Apparel and Textile News, Apparel Talk, Indian Apparel