An indigenous technology that does not require two people to weave attached border sarees is finding favour among handloom silk weavers in Kancheepuram.
Traditionally, two weavers need to sit at the weaving board to move the shuttles that carry the thread — one for the body and two for the borders on each side — in order to weave the border-attached sarees.
The technology, SPS Batten, allows the movement of shuttles with weft yarn, used for weaving the borders, to be taken care of by a modified batten-with-reed comb, shuttles, says P.Duraisami of Devikapuram near Arani in Tiruvannamalai district.
The weaver can just move the handle provided in the batten to pass the weft yarn from one side to another through the space between the heddles, thereby ruling out the need for a second weaver. This technique, introduced by S.P. Subramaniya Ayya of Tiruchi in the weaving of Uraiyur sarees in 1985, was adopted by weavers of Arani from 1990.
Since then, over 10,000 handloom weavers in the State have installed the modified batten-with-reed comb in their looms. In Kancheepuram, nearly 200 weavers have bought this modified batten, which can be set up at a cost of Rs. 6,000.
