E-retailing major Flipkart will provide an online marketing platform to handloom weavers from across the country from September, a move that will help artisans tap the growing number of online shoppers.

The Textiles Ministry signed a pact with Flipkart for the online initiative on Monday under which the company has also agreed to help weavers produce items as per the buyers requirement.

“We will help weavers choose the right designs, colour schemes and sizes according to what is in demand,” according to Ankit Nagori, Vice-President, Marketplace, Flipkart.

The project is being launched on a pilot basis for six months, after which it will be assessed. “We will begin with Varanasi and then move to other places such as Kota, Salem, Paithani and Himroo,” Nagori added.

Textiles Minister Santosh Gangwar said the focus of this association should be to help weavers and weaver entrepreneurs to produce products in tune with the buyer requirements and grow them significantly so that they may become manufacturers not only at a local but also at a national level.

The partnership will connect the artisans directly to the buyer. Flipkart will help in relaying the orders to weavers, packaging, collecting and delivering to the buyer.

“We will charge weavers a 3-4 per cent commission on sale. There will be no listing charge or any other thing. The transportation charge would be extra which would be mentioned in a transparent manner,” Nagori said.

Once the pilot project is successful, Flipkart will expand the initiative to other parts of the country.

There are an estimated 40-45 lakh families in India dependent on weaving and allied activities.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW