National Handloom Day: Role, Contribution and Future of Handloom in Sustainable Fashion
National Handloom Day 2024: 7 August is celebrated as the National Handloom Day in the country since 2015 in alignment with India's first Swadeshi movement in 1905. Finding its origins in Indus Valley Civilisation, handloom since its inception has been a sustainable way of being fashionable. While the fashion giants have recently turned to the trends of green or sustainable clothing, handloom can boast of its legacy rooted in environmental preservation, low energy consumption and slow fashion for decades.
With contemporary world’s surging gaga over the need to turn sustainable and mindful with fashion, handloom posies as a long league bet, making a long lasting fashion apparel.
Role of Handloom in Sustainable Fashion
Sustainable fashion refers to environmentally conscious products made with present availability of resources without compromising on the needs of the future generations. Handloom is just that.
Zero Waste and Biodegradable: Handloom fabrics are made from natural fibres i.e. cotton, silk or linen. With a durable shelf life, they also leave no pollutant residue after their use.
Supports Local Economies: Fast fashion has also plagued the due credit of its labour needs. By choosing handloom, local artisans and local economies are boosted with reduced environmental cost of global supply chains.
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Culture Preservation: Handlooms are a testament of the culture they come from. Opting for handloom translates to preserving the culture of handloom workers, their traditions and communities.
Mindful Consumption: Unique and made-on-order handlooms are not available in abundance to be used recklessly hence it promoted conscious consumerism with consumers being mindful of its consumptions, appreciation for its uniqueness, and reverence towards the labour.
Contribution of Handloom in Sustainable Fashion
The perils of fast fashion have recently been made privy to the general masses thanks to the corporations fighting for labour rights, human rights, and green fashion. Handloom, from times immemorial, has made significant contribution to environment, fashion and more.
Eco-friendly with low carbon footprints: Handloom’s characteristic feature is its manual production in sync with the natural resource availability with little to no reliance on electricity. No use of electricity reduces its carbon footprint with minimum energy consumption.
Ethical labour practices for craftsmen: A handloom is a display of the indigenous craftsmanship of the area it originates from. Choosing handloom provides them work that involves fair labour practices and promoting social sustainability.
Durable Fashion: Made with intricate care, dealt gently, handloom fabric is the most durable fabric one can invest in, making it long lasting with high quality.
Waste reduction with customised products: Handlooms are usually made-on-order ensuring no waste is generated in mass production. Furthermore, nothing gets wasted with handloom, as extra yarn, fabric pieces and more finds a place in patchwork or upcycled handloom products.
Future of Handloom in Sustainable Fashion
Handloom poses as a solution to not just environmental concerns stemming from the fashion fashion industry but also acts as a social equaliser, with its contribution towards cultural preservation and empowerment of craft and craftsmanship.
