Handloom Industry and Exports

Introduction

Along with the artistry of weavers, the Indian handloom industry demonstrates the richness and diversity of Indian culture. With over 4.3 million people directly and indirectly involved in the production, the handloom industry is the second-largest employment provider for the rural population in India after agriculture. Indian handloom products are known for their unique designs and finesse. The trend is to mix old designs with new techniques and create original products.

The industry has a strong infrastructure with about 2.4 million looms of varied designs and construction, indicating significant production capacity.

Key Markets and Export Destinations

• The export of handloom products from India was valued at US$ 343.69 million in FY19. In FY20 (till November 2019), the export stood at US$ 226.05 million.
• In FY19, the US was the major importer of Indian handloom products, with an estimated purchase of US$ 93.94 million, followed by the UK, Italy and Germany at US$ 17.77 million, US$ 16.47 and US$ 14.65 million, respectively.
• Nearly 15 per cent of cloth production in India is from the handloom sector.
• Cloth production in 2019-20 (till January 2020) stood at 63,348 square meters.
• Production of hand-woven fabric from India constitute 95 per cent of the global production.

The Handloom Export Promotion Council

The Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC) is a statutory body constituted under the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, to promote the export of all handloom’s products such as fabrics, home furnishings, carpets and floor coverings. HEPC was constituted in 1965 with 65 members and currently has about 2,000 members.