Handloom exporters in Kannur, Kerala are a happy lot today. Handloom garments with the seal of Handloom Mark fetches them more market as the originality of the product is ensured by Government of India’s agency. Handloom textiles have a longstanding association with India’s tradition and heritage. Mahatma Gandhi used Khadi as an emotional chord in his freedom struggle. For him it was a potent weapon of self-reliance. So handloom garments apart from it’s traditional value have deep-rooted connections with our fight for Independence. There are about 35 lakh looms all over the country with 65 lakh persons dependent on the handloom sector. However, handloom sector is facing tough challenge from power looms spreading all over India. Products made from powerlooms are similar to hand-woven materials but lack the finesse of original handloom garments. Consumers are duped buying products, which are not original. This will affect the fortunes of traditional handloom weavers.
Collective Identity
Office of the Development Commissioner for Handlooms under Union Textile Ministry has introduced Handloom Mark to provide collective identity to handloom products. This is aimed at popularising handwoven products and providing a guarantee for the buyer that the product is genuinely handwoven. There are two handloom marks given to handloom products. The form of the logo has been derived from interlocking of warp and weft. The logo with the symbol and Handloom written beneath it, is for domestic market. The second logo with Handwoven in India written beneath it, is for the export market.
Incentives
The Union Finance Minister has also announced incentives for products with Handloom Mark in the annual supplement to Foreign Trade Policy 2004-09. The scheme allows duty credit facility of 2.5 per cent of FOB value of exports to half of the export turnover of handloom products bearing handloom mark.
Each label is coded on its backside for easy identification. One label with Handloom Mark will be affixed on each handloom garment. The scheme covers all handloom fabrics and garments. Individual weavers, apex and primary handloom weaver co-operative societies, master weavers, Handloom development Corporation, retailers and exporters are entitled to participate in this scheme.
Ensuring Genuineness of Product
The main aim of the Handloom Mark scheme is to provide assurance to the consumers about the genuineness of the product. The Handloom Mark is not a quality assurance, but a guarantee on the process with which the handloom product has been made. This will fetch better price for original handloom products in domestic and international markets.
Textiles Committee under Union Ministry of textiles has been designated as the implementing agency for Handloom Mark Scheme. Before registration of products, onsite verification of individual weavers, handloom weavers, co-operative societies, exporters are made.
Penalty for Misuse
There are penalty clauses for misuse of Handloom Mark. The first clause cancels the registration of the users after preliminary investigation. The second clause includes imprisonment from six months to three years and fine from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh. Third clause provides punishment under provisions of Copy Right Act, 1957.
Any consumer having doubt about the originality of product labelled with Handloom Mark can approach Textiles Committee with bill copy and code number.
Expanding Export Market
The production of handloom fabrics is estimated to be 6,188 million sq mts in 2005-06. The contribution of handloom sector in the total textiles market was only 16 per cent in 2005-06. Five decades back, India was one among the topmost textile exporters in the world. Now China has bagged the major chunk of the global textile market. The mark of originality will help our exporters to sell original handloom products abroad. This will in turn help the traditional weavers all over the country get a better price for their product. (PIB Features)