The hand loom has a rich history in India, dating back many centuries. Unfortunately, with the rise of industrially manufactured cloth and a trending consumer preference for synthetic fabrics, many aspects of this tradition are in danger of vanishing. Millenia of work perfecting the technique of hand weaving individual styles of cloth may simply come to naught if things are left unaided by people and institutions with the knowledge, insight, and resources to help. This talk is a joint effort–on the parts of Sadhguru and Smriti Irani, India’s Union Cabinet Minister for Textiles–to take some productive steps to save these weaves.
Early in the video, Sadhguru speaks eloquently about the importance of hand-woven textiles to India’s history, culture, and economics as well as the role Indian textiles have played in global trade for centuries. He discusses the sheer beauty of well-made, unique, hand-woven fabrics both in terms of their aesthetic appeal and the richness infused into them through the focused, long-wrought dedication of human labor to create and master a specific weave, a particular pattern, or other expressions of artistic excellence in weaving.
Smriti Irani also brings a great deal of knowledge and experience to the subject. She discusses numerous initiatives the government of India has undertaken to support the textile and farming industries, including creating partnerships with major fashion designers and global brands, increasing the cultivation and use of high-quality natural fibers, and promoting digital literacy on the part of farmers and weavers so they can better make their products available to global consumers. If you’re a lover of beautiful, sustainable cloth, a history or culture buff, a person concerned with the economic challenges of rural India, or even a fan of fashionable clothing, this talk will enrich your knowledge.
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