Handlooms need to carve a niche

The handloom industry, a more than 2,000-year-old craft, has mostly relied on government support in Tamil Nadu. Mechanization and the rise of powerlooms have shifted the focus away from handlooms towards mass production with manmade fibres. To revive the industry, the Tamil Nadu government plans to establish 10 mini handloom parks across the state. These parks will bring handloom weavers together and enable them to produce niche products based on market demand.