FLO Uttarakhand, under the leadership of Chairperson Tripti Behl, in collaboration with Ariyana Creations and Mirasa, hosted “The Loom Collective” to celebrate Indian craftsmanship, culture, and timeless design. Held at Address One High Street, Mussoorie Road, Malsi, Dehradun, the initiative brought together artisans, designers, revivalists, policymakers, and handloom enthusiasts to promote conscious consumption and support heritage crafts.
It united grassroots artisans with textile revivalists, contemporary designers, policymakers, and institutions like the Janki Devi Educational Welfare Society and Sabbah Pottery Studio. The inaugural day was graced by Chief Guest Maharani Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah (MP), while the second day was honored by Gurmeet Kaur, the First Lady of Uttarakhand. The event featured an interactive exhibition with handcrafted apparel, home furnishings, and live weaving demonstrations that allowed visitors to appreciate the immense skill behind handwoven textiles.
Insightful panel discussions explored sustainable fashion, market accessibility, and artisan empowerment. These sessions highlighted the need for stronger collaboration between artisans, designers, and institutions, alongside design innovation and greater policy support to secure sustainable livelihoods. A major highlight was the Heritage Fashion Walk, where FICCI FLO Uttarakhand members paid tribute to India’s textile traditions by draping authentic regional sarees.
The showcase beautifully reflected the nation’s diverse weaving heritage, featuring Kanjivaram, Baluchari, Kadua Banarasi, Fekwa Kora Banaras, Chanderi, Ilkal, Mekhla Chador, Sambalpuri Ikat, Muttu Kattam Kanjivaram, All-over Silk Banarasi, and Khaddi Georgette Jamawar. The following speakers participated in the panel discussion:
- Kunwarani Kamini Singh of Seohara, revivalist of the traditional Gota Patti craft;
- Ms. Poonam Bhagat, Founder & Creative Head, TAIKA;
- Ms. Anshu Khanna, Founder, Royal Fables;
- Dr. Niharika Singh, Textile Designer & Sustainability Advocate;
- Mr. Pradeep Kumar, Director, Directorate of Sericulture, Uttarakhand;
- Ms. Aayushi Gupta, Founder, Kalangan Home Textiles;
- Bindu Nagalia, Co-founder, Mirasa;
- Rajat Shakti, Co-founder, Sari-Thon and State & Station Head, Red FM 93.5 Uttarakhand;
- Ms. Kavita Chaturvedi, Social Entrepreneur
- Ms. Mukti Datta, Founder, Panchachuli Women Weavers Cooperative, Almora.
- Moderated by Anurag Chauhan and Satish Sharma
Key Takeaways
- Conceived as a celebration of craftsmanship, culture and timeless design, The Loom Collective sought to create greater awareness about India’s extraordinary handloom traditions.
- A key highlight of the event was a series of insightful panel discussions featuring distinguished voices from the handloom and textile fraternity. The discussions explored the evolution of Indian handlooms, sustainable fashion, artisan empowerment, market accessibility and the future of India’s textile heritage.
- The discussions also highlighted the importance of stronger collaboration between artisans, designers and institutions, greater policy support, improved market access, design innovation and enhanced consumer awareness to ensure sustainable livelihoods for artisan communities while preserving India’s textile heritage.
- There were live weaving demonstrations, interactions with artisans, explored handcrafted textiles, and visitors gained a deeper appreciation of the skill, patience, and artistry behind every handwoven creation.
- The exhibition further showcased handcrafted apparel, home furnishings and artisanal products, offering an immersive glimpse into India’s vibrant textile heritage.
Impact
Around 40 FLO Uttarakhand members and 300 beneficiaries, including artisans, FLO members, students, the design community, and craft enthusiasts, participated in The Loom Collective event to promote artisan empowerment, cultural preservation, design innovation, policy advocacy, conscious consumption, and women’s leadership.