Handloom dept tie up with e-commerce firms, retail groups to boost sales

Handloom department has tied up with nine leading e-commerce entities including Flipkart, Amazon and eBay to increase sale of handloom mark products’ penetration in the domestic market as there is a huge potential but the problem is branding and reach. With the same end it has also tied up with 70 retail outlets, said the handlooms commissioner under the Union ministry of textiles.

They foresee very high levels of sales with the e-commerce partners and private companies in the next five years. In fact, a weaver society producing Ikat fabrics has got a bulk order from the Future Group. Another, for Pochampalli has got an initial order from the Aditya Birla Group.

Traditionally, handloom were focused on sarees and ethnic wear. To attract the younger generation, the ministry is looking at Indo-Western products, casual and office wear.

The ministry said that portals are approaching weavers directly, too; one has apparently done with 24 weaver societies. The weaver or manufacturer has to get approval and registration, and are then linked with an e-commerce partner for uploading specified products on the portal.

The e-commerce partners create a separate home page, with web links for the handloom mark and products. Payment to the weavers’ accounts are done speedily, of 92 percent of the sale value, on average.