FLO Textile Initiative – “Adopt a Weaver”

The FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO) Indore, launched a groundbreaking initiative titled ‘Adopt a Weaver,’ aimed at supporting and empowering local artisans and generating sustainable employment opportunities.

The program brought together artisans from various weaving communities of Madhya Pradesh, including Bagh, Maheshwar, Bherugarh, and Chanderi, with Indore-based fashion designers. Weavers showcased their skills and traditional techniques, such as batik printing and Chanderi weaving, and collaborate with designers to enhance their designs and reach new audiences.

Impact
The Objective of this program is the skill development and training of artisans to enhance traditional skills with contemporary methods to meet current market demands in partnership between local designers and weavers. The weavers carried samples of their craft to provide ideas about their art to the concerned designers.

The ‘Adopt a Weaver’ session was attended by around 40 participants, including designers, artisans, and members from the textile initiative. The session was extremely well-received, with attendees praising the depth of knowledge shared and the quality of demonstrations. The event provided a valuable platform for interaction and collaboration, significantly contributing to the initiative’s objectives.

Key Highlights
The event showcased traditional crafts and unique textile techniques such as batik printing and Chanderi weaving and educated the audience on the intricate processes and hardwork behind these crafts.

Artisans demonstrated one of the most innovative forms of batik printing process, involving the creation of patterns on fabric using wax and dye. The fabric is then washed in hot water to remove the wax, leaving behind the printed design. This process can be repeated multiple times for complex effects.

In another demonstration, Weavers explained and demonstrated the steps involved in making a Chanderi saree. Two types of designs are created, the main sari design and the border/motifs. Skilled technicians dye silk and cotton threads before weaving. The process includes dissolving dyes in warm water, dipping and washing the threads, and immersing them in a solution of water, detergent, and soda. The threads are then dried and sent for weaving.

Weavers also showcased how natural dyes are made using organic ingredients such as beets, turmeric, marigolds, spinach, and blueberries. These dyes are used for coloring fabrics like cotton, silk, and linen, offering an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic dyes.

An artist from Tarapur, displayed nandna print which is a mud resist block-printing craft of Madhya Pradesh. What sets Nandna prints apart from the other printed fabrics is its intact rustic look and ancient motifs, equally revered by the contemporaries. The craftsmen use naturally derived dyes on chaste cotton fabric and age old block designs inspired from the nature.

Artisans from Mrignayni and Praakrit, government-run textile stores of MP, also presented their samples and interacted with designers.

Success Story
FLO Indore commitee member, Ms. Vandana Gujrati conducted extensive field visits to Bagh, immersing herself in the weavers’ daily lives to better understand their challenges and skills. She documented the intricate weaving techniques and processes, ensuring these traditional methods are accurately represented and taught during the initiative.

FLO Indore committee members, Ms. Richa Sancheti and CA Garjana Rathod, coordinated logistics and managed partnerships with local designers, ensuring smooth collaboration and effective communication.

GB Member Meetu Kohli supported the development of this initiative to raise awareness about the event and its objectives.

The visionary leadership of FLO Indore’s Chairperson, Ar Vibha Jain Sethi, encouraged members to push the boundaries while actively participating in planning and providing critical feedback to ensure the initiative’s alignment with FLO’s overarching mission of economic empowerment.

Ar. Vibha Jain Sethi, Chairperson of FLO Indore, expressed her enthusiasm for the initiative, stating -“FLO Indore acknowledges the dedication and hard work of the weavers and the collaborative spirit of the designers, participating in “Adopt a Weaver.” This initiative holds immense potential to empower weavers, revive cultural heritage, and create a sustainable future for Madhya Pradesh’s handloom industry”.