Weavers from different parts of the country are with the idea of e-tailers, much in line with prime minister Narendra Modi’s growth and development plan for the textile industry. Many of them are using such portals to sell their wares.
While some portals like Jaypore that stocks premium designer wear is also keeping the weaver’s line, few like Gaatha, heart2hand are selling products right out of the weaver’s yarn. Sensing an opportunity, e-commerce majors like ebay too have stepped into the weaver’s market.
“Indigenously produced fabric has caught the fancy of people and the growing popularity of such textile indicates a huge potential yet to be tapped. While designers too have been attracted to the handloom revolution, we decided to get people these products straight from the weaver’s yarn,” Nitin Pamnani, co-founder of Gwalior-based itokri said.
The site stocks products from weavers across Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and the Kutch area of Gujarat alongside a couple of other states.Working directly with 20 weavers, the site even sells fabrics like khun from Maharashtra.
While weavers’ cooperatives have always depended on state emporiums and private distributors, few like Andhra Pradesh State HandloomWeavers Cooperative Society have chosen the smart path by launching their own e-commerce portals. The sites that dedicate themselves to sell only indigenous textile also make sure that weavers get credit for their work.