Hand loom – On the verge of extinction?

Hand loom weaving machine

The Indian hand loom had been present in the history for as long as we could remember. One could find its evidence of presence since the Indus Valley Civilization. Traditionally, the entire cloth-making process was self reliant. From the procurement of raw materials to the production of finished cloth, everything was done on a local level. But the advent of globalization and use of modern technology has to a significant extent disrupted the art of weaving.

Hand loom refers to wooden frames of different types which are used by skilled artisans to weave fabrics using wool, silk, cotton, etc. Right from spinning of yarn to weaving them into usable materials is done by these artisans. Products including cotton clothes, hand loom sarees, bed sheets, pillow covers, doormats, knitting threads, etc., are manufactured out of the hands of weavers. These local artisans usually live in close proximity to where they work.

Artisan working on hand loom

Use of the traditional Charkha for spinning the thread

Work of hand on the machine

Making of the fabric

Making of doormats

Cutting of the fabric material

Worker filling cotton for making pillows

Resident ladies stitching

Making of the thread for the fabric

Using of the cycle Charkha

Making of the stitching thread

Stitching threads (finished product)

Finished products at the factory

Though the government is trying hard to support these cottage industries from being extinct, these industries are lagging behind in the technological race and are facing competition from cheaper imports. Lower demand for handmade products is making it un-affordable for the weavers to continue production and more and more hand loom factories are being shut down to become extinct.

A glimpse inside the hand loom factory

Atmosphere around the factory

Unused spinning machine

My documentation of these weavers is about the struggle and persevering hard work by a certain group of people who are keeping this craft alive and preventing the art of weaving from being extinct. Along with that, certain group of people are still an existing market for these products who are keeping the demand moving.