Sustainable Craft Design Systems for Handloom Weavers

Abstract

The winds of change are often blown by forces of nature like draught, famine, floods, earthquakes, and deadly pandemics which displace the craft communities from their native lands for livelihood. Despite this the handloom sector has suffered severe setbacks in the past decades and has struggled to cope with them. The paper aims to study the handloom craft design system of India, recognizing the strategies to strengthen and develop sustainable craft design system for handloom weavers. This exploratory paper is based on a review of the literature and observations. Case studies of the design interventions, craft study and chronology, at various handloom craft clusters are analyzed to understand the impact on the handloom craft design system, the transition from physical to digital retail that has penetrated the handloom weaving communities, government, and NGO organizations’ support and nature of funding models involved. Craft design education and consumer awareness would increase sensitivity to changing markets scenarios. Communication about the textile process and authenticity is important to encourage the consumers to make mindful choices and support authentic handloom textiles which are integral to slow fashion. The system-based approach for sustainable craft design is essential to bring wholistic and value-based strategies for resurgent handloom weaving communities.