Preserving Northeast's Textile Heritage

We find out what it takes to weave an entrepreneurial ecosystem for the textile heritage of the Northeast

In a nation of such ethnic diversity, the Northeast is fast gaining popularity in the fashion and textile industry globally. The NER is a youthful and progressive culture, whose handloom weaving and indigenous fashion ethos have been applauded nationally such as at the Lakme Fashion Week last year. The United Nations joined hands with the fashion event to promote sustainable textile and fashion.

Textile weavers who traditionally wove for the family’s needs have handed down the knowledge as a means for additional income to the household, today.

But how do the twain meet? To reach scale and critical mass, systemic interventions are required. How can local designers and indigenous textiles and weavers earn higher revenues? How can they consolidate buying power to negotiate quality raw material at lower rates? An overall comprehensive entrepreneurial ecosystem can be created for the textile and fashion industry in the Northeast too.

Laying the Groundwork

As per the Handloom Census of June 2016, Manipur alone has 2.18 lakh handloom workers and 1.90 lakh looms - the highest concentration of weavers and looms in the country. For ecosystems to flourish, it is important for all its elements to be interlinked. In the case of weavers and designers of the Northeast, an entrepreneurial approach is vital to their progress. To examine the ecosystem, perspectives such as financial intervention, knowledge and capacity building, cultural support through mentoring and networking, and government and regulatory support must be considered.

Financial Intervention