K. A. Martin KOCHI As handloom weavers in traditional strongholds such as Chendamangalam, near Kochi, look forward to the upcoming Vishu, Easter, and Ramzan festival season, they are being supported by a NABARD-backed programme for online sales as well as to create an ecosystem of traceability through the website www.cooploom.com Buyers all over the world will be able to choose the products of their choice, check their genuineness and trace their origin using the QR code scanning facility. An exhibition of products from Chendamangalam will be held at the AJ Hall in Kaloor between April 7 and 11 where genuine handloom products will be sold. These products can be traced to their origin and the buyer will be able to identify even the weaver involved in the product. The exhibition is being organised under the aegis of the Paravoor Circle Handloom Weavers’ Union, said Ajithkumar Gothuruth of Chendamangalam Karimpadam Weaving Cooperative H191. There will also be a 20% rebate on the products. He said there was a flood of products in the market that passed for genuine handloom products, especially during the festival seasons. The exhibition will have all products sourced directly from the weavers attached to the weaving cooperatives, he said. Most of the handloom products are not traceable now, said Ranjit Rajendran, CEO of Agronature, an agency involved in helping the weavers. The agency was involved in launching the Chendamangalam Heritage of Excellence in Looms and Artisanship (CHELA) in October 2020 in the middle of the pandemic under the aegis of the Circle Cooperative Union and involving 13 cooperatives in the Ernakulam and North Paravur Circles. T. S. Baby, president of Paravoor Handloom Weavers’ Society 3428, said Chennaloom shirts were being introduced into the market during the festival season. The launch of the shirts was inaugurated by Industries Minister P. Rajeeve. Mr. Baby said the ready-to-wear shirts marked a change in the weaving sector. He said the State government had come forward to fully support the weaving sector and the budget for the year 2022-23 had set aside about ₹200 crore for the weaving sector. He said the government had cleared the rebate arrears and arrears on payments for school uniform production of the past years. The government gesture has helped about 500 handloom societies across the State. About 25 lakh metres of handwoven school uniform materials may be needed in the next scholastic year for supply to students, he said.
