Fashionable clothes from fine cotton gamchha strings
Kolkata, Mar 6 : Get ready now for a new type of designer wear.
Clothes stitched from the fine cotton strings that the famous gamchha (handmade towels) is made of are being proposed.
The West Bengal Government is attempting to widen the use of the colourful gamchha that will keep pace with modern trends.
Not just clothes, but even applying the material for interior decoration is being thought about, according to the proposal, which also includes making dusters and mittens from the coarser variety of the strings.
“Our aim is to try to utilise the various colours and designs of the gamchha and apply them to the needs of modern day life and trends,” according to state minister with independent charge of clothing and textiles recently.
Thanks to modern designs and their application, as well as marketing strategy, the demand for handloom saris of the state-run Tantuja and Manjusha has increased in recent years.
A variety of handwoven saris made by weavers in Fulia, Shantipur and other similar places are now available online as well.
The proposes fabrics made from gamchha strings can be marketed utilising the infrastructure and reach of Biswa Bangla and Tantuja and Manjusha.
The gamchhas of Nadia, Bankura, Bardhhaman and Murshidabad were quite famous.
A survey is being conducted among the weavers from these places to identify the villages as well as find out the training and other requirements of the weavers for the new proposal as well as evaluate the viability of special gamchha markets ayt important locations.
It has recently been noticed that the younger generations were picking up the use of bags and clothes with a variety of colours and designs made from gamchha fabrics.
Several fashion designing institutions had also started experimenting with clothes and apparel made from this handwoven material.
Textile Department officials are considering consulting with experts from these institutions to further the cause of the proposal.
A committee will also be formed soon for the development of the gamchha industry.