Kerala mulls new retailing model for its handloom garments across markets

Kerala is looking at a new retailing model for its hand-woven garment products with a focus on upcountry markets. “The idea is to compete with other well-known handloom textile brands both in the country and overseas,” P.Rajeeve, the State Industries Minister said.

The recent launch of the Kerala Kaithari brand for hand-woven fabrics is an ode to the State’s rich handloom legacy and it is aimed at offering a collective identity for handloom products manufactured in the State. “The government intends to popularise and ensure greater visibility to the brand across the markets and through e-commerce platforms,” he told BusinessLine on the sidelines of a function.

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Asked whether the government is considering the business model adopted by well-known handloom retail chains for its Kerala Kaithari, the Minister said “such a retailing model can be considered as the USP of our handloom products is the quality. The collections under the new brand would be designed to appeal to the younger crowd and can compete vis-a-vis other brands”. Moreover, actor Mohanlal can be roped in for the brand promotion across markets, the Minister added.

New framework

The government’s efforts to promote the brand in the value-added hand-woven lining of clothing was taken up based on the project report prepared by the Directorate of Handloom and Textiles under the State Industries Department. The National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kannur, also presented a framework for its implementation.

The government, he said, has also taken various measures to promote the labour-intensive handloom sector. This includes making it compulsory for all the government employees to wear handloom clothes on Wednesdays. It is also to be ensured that the percentage of textiles purchased by the government departments and agencies were handloom.

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The handloom manufacturing facility for making value-added products has been completed, which would start functioning shortly, Rajeeve said, adding that the government is also in the process of setting up a mega handloom cluster for production, marketing and exports.

Besides handloom fabrics, he said efforts are also on to try the e-commerce route for marketing products manufactured in the traditional sector such as bamboo and coir to reach out to a large audience.

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