Like most of the country’s textile sector, the Voraiyur cotton saree, which is famous for its fine texture and jewel tone color scheme, and more recently, for its application for the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, saw the skyrocketing price of cotton yarn. has been affected by. ,
“The price of a bale of cotton has gone up by Rs 55,000 due to several international market factors, so even placing an order for two bales today can result in a weave worth over Rs 1 lakh. It is difficult to ensure a steady production flow when the raw material cost is so unpredictable, especially for those who do not stock yarn,” AM Veerayan, showroom manager, Voraiyur Devanga Handloom Weavers Co-operative Society, said. Hindu,
The persistent decrease in the number of weavers has also added to the challenges faced by this heritage industry, which is believed to have flourished since the reign of Rajaraja Chola.
The industry body that groups members of the Devanga Chettiar community began operations in 1936, and had over 600 weavers under its fold by the 1990s, until the advent of powerlooms and synthetic fibers in the Indian textile industry gradually. Handloom weaving did not stop.
“The cooperative has over 334 members, but we have only 50 (middle-aged) weavers working on the looms. Around 80 weavers of the district, who have worked till the age of 60, are receiving old age pension from the government. Though the work has reduced, we are still producing sarees, with direct sales of around ₹1 lakh per month,” said Mr. Veeryan.
It is believed that the beauty and simplicity of the design of the sari is related to the use of Vorayur looms by the British Raj for the production of light cotton medical dressing fabrics during World War I.
In its modern incarnation, the Voraiyur cotton saree is actually a blended product, with the yarn procured through the National Handloom Development Corporation in Coimbatore. “The yarn dyeing, application of rice starch and warp preparation, which was once done in Voraiyur, have now been outsourced to nearby places like Jayamkondam, Thuraiyur etc. The main weaving is done in Manamedu,” said Mr. Veeraiyan.
The cooperative is wary of exposure through e-commerce and social media. “In the past, we have had saree retailers buy our products in bulk and then sell them with a big mark-up. A five and a half meter Vorayur saree which costs us ₹700 is being sold for ₹2000. This is the reason why we avoid bulk buyers,” said Mr. Veeraiyan.
A senior official of the Department of Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles and Khadi said, “Youth should be encouraged to join the handloom sector to preserve heritage weaves such as Voraiyur cotton sarees for future generations.”