On National Handloom Day, August 7, the Telangana government will invite designers and private retailers to set up franchises that sell handloom textiles. The Telangana State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society (TSCO) attached to the department of Handlooms and Textiles would issue notification calling for franchises on the day, Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Information Technology and Industries, said here on Saturday.
Already TSCO runs 38 showrooms across Telangana. TSCO’s e-commerce website would also be relaunched with additional features, he said, during a media conference. Bangladeshi designer Bibi Russell would present her collection of handloom designs, Mr. Ranjan said.
Speaking to the media, Ms. Russell said, “Telangana is sitting on a gold mine, a rich culture of textiles that showcase the best of weaves and the best of colours”. The designer said fashion houses and foreign fashion designers would be interested in showcasing Telangana’s handloom fabric in their collections. Textiles from 11 districts in Telangana, including from places like Mahadevapur, Chevella and Bhupalapalli, would be used for the show. Other designers, including Prasad Bidapa, Sunaina Sood and Shravan Kumar, would also showcase their collections at the event to be held at Sampradaya Vedika, Shilparamam. “We want to showcase that handloom textiles are chic and luxurious,” Mr. Bidepa said.
TSCO officials said handloom textile sales have improved by 50% to 100% in the past three years.
Celebrations would include a handloom exhibition at People’s Plaza on August 7. Minister, K.T. Rama Rao is expected to inaugurate the expo, where benefits would be given under loan waiver, Chenetha Mithra and Nethanna Cheyutha schemes.
