Let me start with a quote by our Bapu Mahatma Gandhi- “If we have the ‘khadi spirit’ in us, we would surround ourselves with simplicity in every walk of life. The ‘khadi spirit’ means infinite patience. For those who know anything about the production of khadi know how patiently the spinners and the weavers have to toil at their trade, and even so, must we have patience while we are spinning the thread of Swaraj”.
My love for khadi is more emotional than rational. Its history and significance in the freedom movement make it all the more special for me.
Having much literary and architectural evidence, khadi dates way back in ancient history with its origin in India. The name khadi is derived from Khaddar which means handspun and handwoven textile.
Khadi is traditionally made out of cotton fiber that is first hand-spun and then handwoven; however, khadi silk and khadi wool, which is made out of silk and wool fiber respectively, are also gaining popularity.
The beauty of khadi lies in its distinct texture and feel. If comfort and quality top your checklist while buying clothing then khadi is the ultimate fabric for you. It's comfortable, it's easy to handle and it has astonishing properties. It keeps the body warm in winters and cool in summers. It also has high absorbance which makes it the best choice for summer wear.
It keeps the body warm in winters and cool in summers. It also has high absorbance which makes it the best choice for summer wear.
The journey of khaddar
The people who produce khadi textiles make the backbone of the country. They come from rural parts of India, producing khadi textile in their traditional looms. The majority are from the MSME sector and support their family and community by producing this amazing textile.
The khadi industry has been on a rollercoaster ride over the century. The British East India Company introduced textile mills in India which captured the market stealing the power from the hands of the natives. But with the consistent effort of Mahatma Gandhi with the onset of the swadeshi movement khadi got its life back and with that, the first united step was taken towards freedom of a nation. Eventually, India got its freedom back.
But slowly with globalization and the introduction of low-cost synthetic fabric, khadi again lost its charm. Fast forwarding to the present day, with people getting conscious about their purchase impact, khaddar is coming back to its glory.
In the year FY 2019-20 Khadi registered a growth of 31%, and that is great news for everyone. Khadi can be considered as the ultimate sustainable fabric when produced using organic fibers. It not only impacts the environment positively but also creates livelihood and income opportunities for people involved in each stage of its production.
In the year FY 2019-20 Khadi, the ultimate sustainable fabric, registered a growth of 31%, and that is great news for everyone.
Khadi today
Many designers have opted to work with the khadi weavers, providing them knowledge of the trends and techniques to improve productivity and quality. The design innovation has helped khadi to stay in the race. But the market is flooded with synthetic and mill-produced garments with trendy designs that take away a chunk from the hands of the khadi industry.
Although the popularity of khadi is gradually growing amongst the millennials and gen Z, the pace is not sufficient. As consumers, we can do our part to help revive the heritage of India. By consciously adding khadi products to our closet and creating a demand for khadi can help the industry. With growing demand, the supply for the products will increase and more opportunities will be created for the weavers. To know more about how your purchase decision helps local weavers click here.
And why not? Who doesn't want a piece of cloth that is not only comfortable, beautiful, and eco-friendly but gives a smile to the people who made it?
Khadi is ours. Feel the pride in wearing khadi garments. Together, let us bring it back to life like It brought India to life.
By consciously adding khadi products to our closet and creating a demand for khadi can help the industry.
Interesting fact: the Indian flag is always made out of Khadi textile. Any fraud and you will end up in jail.
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