The colourful Kutchi shawls, woven with motifs in one solid colour throughout, has been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, a move which is expected to benefit its hereditary weavers in Kutch region of Gujarat.
“We have been granted the GI tag for our Kutchi shawls, which is famous worldwide. The tag will provide a push to its marketing and also help check the cheap imitation being done in other parts of the nation,” the President of Kutch Weavers Association, Mr Gabhubhai Vankar, told PTI.
The GI registration of this shawl will convey assurance of quality and distinctiveness — essentially attributed to the place of its origin in a defined geographical locality.
“This tag will help over 1,200 weavers of Vankar and Meghwal samaaj, in Kutch region spread across 210 villages,” he said adding that Kutch is the only regional cluster of weavers in India who can create intricate motifs in thicker yarns of wool, cotton and silk.
There are currently 1,200 weavers who work in 210 villages of Kutch of which 800-900 practice the craft full time. Around 2,400 women are engaged in preparatory and finishing processes, the GI application stated.
The market of these shawls has been appropriated by cheap industrial imitations of their intricate designs by factories in Ludhiana, an association member said.
The shawls made of acrylic wool are dyed and have one solid bright colour throughout.
“The shawl is woven with traditional Kutchi motifs and is processed on handlooms largely in Bhujodi, a village of Kutch,” Mr Vankar said adding that villages like Gambudi, Manukna, Bundra, Tukma also house communities of such shawl weavers.