Research on Khadi

and Handloom
Fabrics
Designers and Brands using Khadi and
Handlooms
By:- Trita Nandi

KhadiorKhaddaris a term for handspun

and hand-wovencloth fromIndia.
The cloth is primarily woven fromcotton ,
which are spun into yarn on aspinning wheel
called acharkha. It is a versatile fabric, cool
in summer and warm in winter. In order to
improve the look, Khadi is
sometimesstarchedto give it a stiffer feel.
Khadi is an Indian fabric. Khadi is also known
by another name Khaddar. It is made by
spinning the threads on an instrument known
as Charkha.
Khadi is a versatile fabric. It has the unique
property of keeping the wearer warm in
winter as well as cool in summer season. This
fabric has coarse texture and gets easily
crumpled, therefore in order to keep it firm
and stiff, starch is to be added. This fabric on
washing is more enhanced thus the more you
wash it, better the look. Khadi is not easily

DESIGNERS USING KHADI AND HANDLOOMS

Wearing khadi means paying homage to craftsperson who spin the yarn on
the charkha. Even in the machine-age, they work round-the-clock to produce
the hand-spun fabric despite it being ignored by top designers.
Designer Madhu Jain showcased how khadi can be blended with bamboo,
once considered primitive grasses. She was the one to first put the spotlight on
bamboo as a viable fabric over a decade ago. It is a weaving process where
khadi thread is amalgamated with bamboo fibre.
Khadi always finds a place in Deepika Govinds collection because it is
organic and has raw rustic look.
For Neeru Kumar, who began her career as a designer two decades ago,
khadi has been a regular feature in every collection of hers. Right now, she is
concentrating on obtaining the purest form of khadi. She says Colour,
textures of khadi are such that it becomes an inspirational fabric. It is not
decorative but basic fabric which breathes. It can be worn in any climatic
conditions.
Deepika Gehani showcased a successful khadi collection at Lakme Fashion

 Rahul Mishra has showcased a khadi collection in various forms like

jumpsuits, skirts, tunics and trousers and he says I can easily make
lingerie and bustiers in khadi fabrics; so the designs are many."

Gaurang Shah showed his khadi line at the Berlin Fashion Week and the
New York Fashion Week in 2012. When I started working with weavers
about 9-10 years back, they used to do simple bootis, very small border,
which was not very appealing, but peoples mindset towards khadi has
changed, especially when they get varieties in terms of western designs
and cuts, said the designer.
Other popular designers who are using handspun fabric are Wendell
Rodricks, Ritu Kumar, Sabyasaachi Mukherjee and Anand Kabra.

OTHER THAN GARMENTS : Designer Swati Mehrotra of the brand Swati Modo makes shoes with
khadi.
We create textures on plain khadi-like weave. And then use in boots
especially in menswear, she said.
Archana Shah, founder of Bandhej, known for using handcrafted fabric.

BRANDS USING KHADI AND HANDLOOM

Aneeth Arora
Brand: Labour of Love (from Pro)
Shani Himanshu & Mia Morikawa
Brand: 11.11
Himanshu and Morikawa started 11.11 in 2009 and have designed a line of
khadi denims, having created the fabric in collaboration with Arvind Mills Ltd,
Ahmedabad.
Bess Nielsen
Brand: Khadi and Co
Bess Nielsen, a Danish designer, began working with khadi after being
influenced by Mahatma Gandhi. Nielsen, who retails out of her shop Khadi
and Co in Paris, believes that working with khadi needs you to have a special
love for it, and its philosophy.
Ravi Kiran & Chandrasekhar
Brand: Metaphor Racha
Ravi Kiran and Chandrasekhar dont categorise themselves so much as
designers as craftsmen. They are passionate about working with khadi
because they believe that when there are so many pairs of human hands
involved in its production, it does not need any more value addition.

Neeru Kumar
Brand: Tulsi
Neeru Kumar has been weaving on the loom for nearly 30 years, developing
her own language in the use of the yarn and handloom fabric.

The khadi collection by Fabindia, a brand that retails handcrafted clothing

and home furnishings, sells like hot cakes. that its classic khadi kurtas for
men and women have always been one of the fast sellers.

ANEETH
ARORA
DESIGN
S

Over the centuries handlooms have come to be associated with excellence in

India's artistry in fabrics. Right from the ancient times, the high quality of
Indian handloom products like muslin of Chanderi, silk brocades of Varanasi,
the tie and dye products of Rajasthan and Orissa.
A handloom is a loom that is used to weave cloth without the use of any
electricity. Hand weaving is done on pit looms or frame looms generally
located in weavers homes. Weaving is primarily the interlacing of two sets
of yarn the warp (length) and the weft (width). The equipment that
facilitates this interlacing is the loom.
The handloom experience (soft, comfortable and durable) is due to the
human handling of the yarn in the weaving process. As a result, yarn and the
fabric are much less stressed and damaged. This implies that it allows more
air penetration making it cooler, softer and more absorbent.