NID students help Kutch weavers to revive desi wool

Textile design students of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad have helped weavers of Kutch to revive Desi wool, which was given up by the weavers. In a project aimed at co-creation, the textile design department of NID collaborated with an NGO Khamir, which works for the empowerment of craftsmen in Kutch, to revive the use of indigenous cotton namely Kala cotton and local wool.

Says professor Swasti Singh Ghai, course co-ordinator, “Design should not remove culture, but enhance culture. While the aim was how to popularize use of Kala cotton among weavers and make products that impact the market, the challenge was how to make it more delicate and aesthetic since Kala cotton is heavier. Also, majority of weavers had given up desi wool so the idea was how to re-introduce desi wool and make certain products which could be sold in other parts of India. Twelve students of NID worked closely with 4 weavers from Kutch and understood the challenges faced by the weavers. The students then worked to solve challenges with innovative techniques on campus and then stayed with weavers for ten days and designed some processes and products which can give new lease of life to the local hand spun desi wool and Ambar Charkha spun Kala cotton.

Salonee Pathak, a student who worked on the project, “It was a very good experience as we were exposed to the problems they face. We were also exposed to the culture and traditions of the weavers. The idea was to co-create a collection of drapeable clothing by drawing inspirations from rites of passages, way of life and surroundings from the point of view of an insider and the weaver, by resilient extensive weaving techniques which is their social and cultural identity, keeping in mind the trends, market and worldview of the artesian for higher intensive.”