The khadi sarees that we now see originated in Eastern India. They gained momentum around the Swadeshi Movement. You can buy khadi sarees online.
The process entails the usage of cotton fabric being spun on a chakra (spinning wheel). It is a versatile fabric. In India, khadi literally translates to the handwoven cloth. Britishers would export fabrics from India, refine them and sell them in India for higher prices.
This would deprive the indigenous weavers an opportunity to flourish. To break this spiral, Mahatma Gandhi along with Nationalist politicians boycotted foreign cloth.
But because of being handspun, this Indian cloth was more expensive and of poor quality. Hence, Gandhi started spinning himself and started encouraging others to do so. Later on, the chakra became symbolic in the Indian national flag.
Luckily we have evolved in a world where buying khadi sarees online is possible.
Evolution Over Time
India has been trying to promote khadi as a global fabric and accelerate employment through that. Hence, they formulated the Khadi and village industries in light of everything (KVIC). They want to promote foreign sales and awareness. With the means of popularising khadi, they try to glorify it with the youth who have a rampant connection to social media that will further come to enhance the importance of khadi.
Students from NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology) and a panel of designers have been shortlisted for a seamless outcome. Even the most secluded places like Assam, Leh Ladakh and so on are witnessing khadi exhibits.
Major Source Of Employment
Under the Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) over 20 million jobs have been created. They also recruit people based on chakra (loom) and other equipment.
Solar chakra is a novice invention that accelerates the process of spinning cloth much faster making it lucrative. Aiding these multiple schemes, KVIC has created over 21 million job opportunities in the past 5 years.
With the growing demand for natural and cruelty free products, manufacturing khadi is a super lucrative market. There has been a very welcoming response to Khadi with the exhibits in different places. Overall the fiscal surplus generated by khadi has been tremendous.
Designer Endorsements
A multitude of designers has taken to featuring khadi as an integral part of their collections. One such designer is Neeta Lulla, who established a rampant use of Khadi for costumes designed in the movie Manikarnika. Nachiket Barve also uses khadi. Brands like Eka, also personify the usage of natural fabrics like khadi. It is a go-to brand for Kangana Ranaut.
Another such brand is Raw Mango. They symbolise the usage of raw and handwoven textiles. They also employ over 450 craftsmen. In addition, Bodice by Ruchika Sachdeva is also a brand that taps into Indian textiles and focuses on indigenous methods of handweaving. They wield androgynous elements combined with raw fabrics.
Pero is an Indian label launched by Aneeth Arora. It means “wear” in Marwari, the native language of Rajasthan, India. She bestows a lot of dyeing, weaving, and embroidery in her clothes. And use natural, organic fabrics like khadi.
Brand Endorsements
Fabindia is an Indian brand owned by an American. This only goes to reinforce how influential the use of natural substances has become. Their focal point is narrowing attention to indigenous crafts and fabrics of India. They also want to sustain employment and make contemporary yet sustainable clothing.
Good earth also preserves cultural heritage in their inclination in fabrics, aesthetics, and draping techniques. They have managed to streamline and create an alluring collection with these details.
Suta Bombay is a relatively new brand that places emphasis on juxtaposing contemporary fashion with Indian handicrafts.
Conclusion
The demography gives us a clear inkling of how pertinent the usage of khadi has become. Not just in India but also overseas. In spite of being profligate, India has witnessed a large surge in employment rates and the growing importance of khadi because of it. It may have seemed like a ludicrous measure at the onset of things but the emergence is undeniable. An array of Indian designers are placing prominence on the growing need to be sustainable and focus on natural elements. What started out as a means for a self-reliant India has helped create numerous job opportunities. It has also helped introduce different demographics to the fabric and the rich history that comes with it. The association of the fabric from being “old” has shifted to a mode of power dressing.
