{"id":1374,"date":"2018-03-02T06:00:24","date_gmt":"2018-03-02T06:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/insider.utelier.com\/?post_type=features&p=1374"},"modified":"2019-08-09T08:15:52","modified_gmt":"2019-08-09T07:15:52","slug":"krishna-wool-handloom-weaving-manufacturing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fashioninsiders.co\/features\/meet-the-maker\/krishna-wool-handloom-weaving-manufacturing\/","title":{"rendered":"Krishna Wool: Preserving the beauty of Handloom weaving manufacturing"},"content":{"rendered":"
Read the incredible journey of the Krishna Wool business, as narrated by its founder.<\/p>\n
We started Krishna Wool in 1995 in Himachal Pradesh, India. My father used to do hand spinning ever since he was eight. He studied automobile engineering and found the stable and secured job in the government sector which he later left to start his own handloom garments business. That\u2019s how much he loved handlooms.<\/p>\n
Secondly, he wanted to give something to the society in Himachal Pradesh, India. There, people do not have anything else to do, especially the women. He was passionate about producing new designs every year but, the people in Himachal were not even aware of what trends are. So, he wanted to train the women first.<\/p>\n
After a few years, I joined the business along with my husband. My husband is a production engineer so he has a lot of contribution to the business. He takes care of all the international exhibitions.<\/p>\n
I am a textile technologist from TITS \u2013 The Technological Institute of Textile and Sciences Institute in Haryana.<\/p>\n
We, at Krishna Wool, are empowering a woman by giving her a handloom. After 5 years, they will teach their children.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
What makes Krishna Wool different from other handmade businesses?<\/h3>\n
I can proudly say that we are working with 120 women who are supporting their respective families.<\/p>\n
We have our own spinning, weaving and finishing unit. Many factories source raw materials from various suppliers but the yarn that we use is hand-spun by us. We just procure raw fibre from Leh, Ladakh region. They have an excellent quality of wool over there.<\/p>\n
Today, businesses take funds from the government but after a year if you go back, you\u2019ll see that nothing has happened of the business in term of progress. Why? Because you have given funds but you haven\u2019t taught them.<\/p>\n
What we at Krishna Wool are doing with our artisans is, we are giving them power. After 5 years of working with handloom, they will teach their children. We have empowered a woman by giving her a handloom.<\/p>\n
Obviously, we have given our handlooms to them and are not charging them anything. They weave at their homes in Himachal and we get the finished handloom garments delivered here in Greater Noida that we market.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, we have rented a hall in Himachal Pradesh. Whenever the artisans have time, they come to the hall where handlooms are kept. Sometimes they also get women from nearby villages or their kids.<\/p>\n
Please walk us through the production of a garment; from yarn to a shawl.<\/h3>\n
After purchasing the raw material, we have to make the thread. It\u2019s a long process and for every step, a different person is involved.<\/p>\n
We have 20 people just to make yarn, then weaving we have 20 more, then dyeing, finishing and a few more. Then comes the stage of making the finished product.<\/p>\n
In our unit, we have given computers to the artisans where I upload all the designs. Of course, we have provided training for that as well. Earlier we used to sketch via hand. But, it created a lot of problems like wear and tear, the spilling of liquid, etc.<\/p>\n
The computer is for reference but they design via the printouts (graph), we have given to them.<\/p>\n
We make new designs every month, roughly 10-12 designs a year out of which 7-8 are hit. More than that, these items do not get sold.<\/p>\n