Tapping the diaspora handloom market

Assam having the highest number of handlooms and weavers speaks volumes about its rich weaving tradition and heritage. The problem of traditional weavers and handloom owners in the state facing stiff and unequal competition from the power loom sector outside the state has become more severe over the past few decades. Exploring new markets for traditional handloom products and tapping the markets of handloom products with innovative designs is the only way out. Price plays a crucial role in market competitiveness. A power loom product with a design like a handloom product, except those protected under the Handloom (Reservation of Articles) Act, 1985, has a market advantage because of a lower price. Due to the involvement of physical labour, the time taken to weave a traditional item on a handloom is much more, while the rising price of yarn also pushes up the final price. This compels the majority of traditional weavers to restrict their production to cater only to the local market demand. Few among them demonstrate entrepreneurial skills and explore markets outside their villages and fetch demand from urban markets. When they are exposed to an urban market with different segments of buyers, they learn about the expectations of the buyers and their demand for diversified handcrafted products of home textiles, such as cushion covers, curtains, etc., and handloom products with a blending of traditional and contemporary designs. Translating the demands according to the wish list of buyers who are ready to pay higher prices is a challenging task and requires skill upgradation. This is where the Handloom and Textile Department is expected to play the role of a facilitator and arrange training for traditional weavers to adopt new designs. When training sessions extend for a week or longer period, then weavers need to be provided adequate stipends to compensate for the loss of earnings for those days. If training programmes can be organised closer to the handloom clusters, then the weavers, with majority of them being women, will be more interested to take part in them. An exposure visit to the urban showrooms as part of the training programs can help the traditional weavers to get first-hand experience of buyers of handloom products and their choices. The current practice of producing more traditional textile products on the loom and sending them to the markets has become obsolete, as most of these products fail to connect with the demand of the majority of buyers and remain unsold on the showroom shelves. The expansion of the diaspora of Assamese and other indigenous communities in the country and overseas has created a new market of handloom products beyond the state boundaries. The allotment of Geographical Indication tags to traditional handloom and handicraft items in the state has unlocked new market opportunities in both domestic and global markets for Assamese and other indigenous community diasporas. The diaspora market can play a crucial role, with the Assamese and other indigenous buyers playing the role of natural brand ambassadors of the rich handloom traditions of the state when they wear handloom products sourced from Assam in geographies in which they live. Diaspora members can afford to pay better prices, and they always want to remain connected to their roots even after settling down in other states or abroad. The department undertaking a survey and study of this diaspora market to estimate the market demand and buyers’ choices of handloom products from Assam will go a long way in articulating a pragmatic strategy to establish a linkage between traditional weavers, handloom entrepreneurs, and this expanding market. The department facilitating interaction between diaspora associations and weavers in offline or online mode will help the weavers to know firsthand about their preferences and choices and accordingly place their requirements and expectations on the governments. When power loom products have flooded the textile markets in the state, the professional response to such market trends demands taking high-quality and authentic handloom products to other states for buyers among the Assamese diaspora and other communities. The integrated handloom park, which is coming up at Kaziranga, will also help handloom weavers and entrepreneurs to showcase their products to domestic and international tourists. The interaction between the producers, sellers, and buyers will help weavers to appreciate the market demands and tap a much larger market. Pushing the high-priced handloom products among buyers who cannot afford to buy those and opt for cheaper quality and low-priced power loom products is not a solution to the problem gripping traditional weavers. Tapping the market of buyers who are ready to pay a premium price for a high-quality, authentic handloom product within and beyond the state can provide a sustainable solution. Experimentation with blended designs, fusion textiles, and the introduction of storytelling concepts for handloom products carried out with the help of institutes of design and institutes of fashion technology can help transform the traditional weaving skills into professional skills of the global textile industry.