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Image ID: 3691178076

Caption : KERALA, PALAKKAD,27/10/22. An elderly lady engaged in a traditional method of weaving at her home Peruvembu in Palakkad on Thursday. Once a major source of employment in the industry-starved Kerala, the hand loom textile sector is in doldrums because of various factors forcing weavers to shift to other jobs to earn a living. The hand loom industry, which was a major source of revenue for many people in Kerala, is facing a downturn as low wage coupled with lack of support from the government, is forcing hand loom workers to shift to other professions. The India's Handloom Sector is one of the largest unorganized economic activities and it constitutes an integral part of the rural and semi-rural livelihood engaging over 35 lakh persons. The sector engages over 25 lakh female weavers and allied workers which makes it an important source of economic empowerment of women. The sector has the advantage of being less capital intensive, minimal use of power, eco- friendly, flexibility of small production, openness to innovations and adaptability to market requirements. The handloom industry in India has a long tradition of outstanding artisanship that represents and preserves vibrant Indian culture. India's handloom artists are globally known for their unique hand spinning, weaving and printing style. They are based out of small towns and villages of the country which transfer skills from one generation to the next. The handloom sector of India has the advantage of being less capital intensive, eco-friendly, having less power consumption and the ability to adapt to market conditions. According to the Handloom Census 2019-20, the industry employs about 3,522,512 handloom workers across the country. The industry primarily employs women workers with a share of 72.29% of the total handloom workers. Photo: KK MUSTAFAH / THE HINDU