Facing threads

Tough times

For many artisans, the art of weaving is a family tradition, with skills passed down from generation to generation. But the economic realities of weaving have made it harder for artisans to encourage their children to continue in their footsteps.

Sari seller Sandip Basak described how increasing production costs and low sales affected his business during recent festive seasons when demand was expected to rise.

Sales were disappointing and many artisans now face the prospect of leaving the handloom industry altogether.

"If this trend continues, we might not have anyone left to pass on this knowledge," he said.

The loss of generational knowledge is one of the most significant threats facing the handloom industry. If young people do not see a viable future in weaving, they may pursue other professions and that will lead to the disappearance of traditional techniques that have been refined over centuries, many in the industry said.