Bihar state govt team up with NIFT to rebrand khadi

The Bihar state government and NIFT-Patna have teamed up to rebrand the indigenous textile Khadi and make the heritage fabric more attractive for youth with a global appeal. As the home-spun brand, popularised by Mahatma Gandhi, somewhat lost its allure in the state, especially among the youth.

National Institute of Fashion Technology is now refashioning and rejuvenating this sartorial heritage for the new-age generation. Bihar State Khadi Gramudyog Board, under the Department of Industries and NIFT-Patna have signed an agreement to this effect and the repositioned brand, christened ‘Santiti’ will be officially launched at the Bihar Pavilion of the ongoing India International Trade Fair 2015, said Director, NIFT-Patna, Sanjay Shrivastava.

In rebooting the brand, NIFT Patna would be playing the role of consultant for the Board for a period of three years.

Samples of the newly-styled garments have been put on display at the IITF at Pragati Maidan. The garments have been created keeping in mind the needs and aspirations of the young minds. They have been designed from the fabric produced by the weavers of Bihar, sourced through the Khadi Board. And, due care has been taken to incorporate the current trends of fashion to make the garments wearable and fashionable.

The primary idea is to “reboot” the khadi industry, and make the youth connect to their heritage. The khadi brand of Bihar had been lying dormant for all these decades, with all the shops and emporia not making much of sale of khadi-made fabrics. So, it was proposed to the government to reposition and re-imagine the brand with latest designs.

There are nearly 60 ‘samitis’ spread across Bihar under the aegis of the Khadi Board.

The nearly 10-year-old institution in the state capital has been working on several projects on Bihar since its inception, and this Santiti project is also to contemporize Bihar khadi to meet global standards.