lastwave: Handloom exhib in Chennai - Dastkar Andhra Marketing Association

DAMA

Dastkar Andhra Marketing Association

invites you

An exhibition of exquisite

Handloom fabrics, dupattas and sarees

including

Natural dyed fabrics

Khadi and Kalamkari prints

Also introducing a range of furnishings.

VENUE

C.P.Ramaswamy Iyer Foundation,

Exhibition Hall (mini - I),

1, Eldams Road,

Chennai – 600 018.

DATE

23^rd to 27^th August 2007

(Thursday to Monday)

Time: 10:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Fabric at the DAMA exhib and sale in Pune, January 2007 (Pic: Pankaj Sekhsaria)

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REVITALISING RURAL INDUSTRY

Dastkar Andhra invites you to share the rich cultural offerings from the cotton handlooms of Andhra. We are working in the sector for more than a decade and recognize its immense potential to contribute for re-energizing the rural livelihoods. The relevance of handlooms in promoting the rich aesthetic of our tradition is evident in the growing demand for handlooms across the nation. Our marketing association works with handloom co-operatives and independent weaver groups from the different districts of Andhra. Our design studio works with weavers, textile designers, and dyers to create a vibrant new identity for the handlooms.

In Ponduru (Pic: Pankaj Sekhsaria)

The breadth of the industry is large and it remains the second largest employer after agriculture in the nation. Andhra Pradesh proudly claims a prominent place in the industry with two lakh weavers and several thousands engaged in ancillary activities. The difficulties in the agriculture sector are reaching crisis proportions throwing out of gear the lives of not only farmers but also landless labour engaged in farming. They are ending up as migrant labour in the cities across the nation living in appalling conditions. This has prompted us to offer weaving as an alternative in drought prone areas and bring in non-traditional weavers into the activity. The advantages of working with handlooms are manifold and in consonance with the contemporary demands for conserving energy, and environment friendly production. Operating a handloom does not require power and by using minimum natural resources it can produce the fabric. The additional advantage for the nation’s economy is the low capital investment (setting up a loom costs around Rs.10, 000) and new employment opportunities in the rural sector.

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The product line of cotton handlooms

from

Dastkar Andhra Marketing Association

Welcome the monsoon with a range of vibrantly coloured co-ordinated fabrics, dupattas, sarees and a selection of furnishings in pure hand loomed cotton.

Border fabrics, dupattas, sarees, tie & dye, striped dress material, 100’s count shirting, gadi check shirting, lungies, towels, bedspreads, kuppadam dhothies, handkerchiefs from coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh.

Khadi natural dyed kuppadam border fabric, sarees, dupattas with mugha thread and cotton thread from Ponduru and Singupuram in Srikakulam District.

In Ponduru (Pic: Pankaj Sekhsaria)

Fine checks, stripes, plain fabrics, dupattas, shirting, furnishings and bedspreads from Rajavolu, Battiprolu, Ilavaram, Kanagala, Cherukupally, Phanidam in Guntur District.

Ikat furnishing fabrics, dress material, dupattas, sarees from Vellanki and Velwarthy in Nalgonda District.