Present Conditions
Presently, a major portion of the hand loom clothes produced in this area is sold to the Handloom Development Corporation and Hantex. Due to the emergence of power looms in the weaving industry and drop in the prices of related items, the inhabitants of the colony have found it difficult to persevere in the same field of activity as a result of which, the younger generations are pursuing higher education and alternate employment to make ends meet.
Another reason for this sea of change in the aptitude of the inhabitants is the low price per unit put into making these hand loom items; the overheads being much too higher for houses having lesser looms that the ones, mass producing these items with the help of separate work place close to the residence. All such varieties, which were reserved for exclusive production in the hand loom sector, are now extensively and widely produced in power looms making the hand loom products not competitive in the market.
Today there was a new concept in handloom textile was introduced in this area called Ayurvastra is a branch of Ayurveda, the ancient 5,000 year old Indian system of Vedic healthcare. Loosely translated, “Ayur” is Sanskrit for health, and “Vastra” is clothing, Ayurvastra means Healthy Fabrics, Ayurvastra project is initiated and launched by the Directorate of Handloom, Department of Industries and Commerce and the Department of Government Ayurveda College, aimed at creating a niche for the eco-friendly wellness textiles ( Deying textiles using ayurvedic herbs and plants without using synthetic chemicals) Ayurvastra is manufactured and exported by a 50 year old balaramapuram handloom firm Kairali Exports (kairaliexports.com) exports ayurvastra brand fabrics to US (vastra.us), Europe (ayurvastra.in)
Until 1990, the varieties of Balaramapuram had excellent market potential and the weavers there were getting reasonable income and could maintain a better standard of living. Nearly 5,100 looms were engaged in the production of such fabrics. No attempt was made to exploit the skill of such weavers, who are master craftsmen in their trade, to produce any other variety for expanding market demand.
However, recently this seems to be changing and the demand for hand loomed products is high.
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