Date:07/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/07/stories/2008070757041500.htm

Business

Lungis from Kurunjipadi set to cover European market too

N. Anand

The buyer has promised to take delivery of 10,000 more lungis
The Kurunjipadi cluster will also weave natural chemical-free shirts

CHENNAI: Low-cost lungis from Kurunjipadi are set to enter the European market.

A U.K. buyer has placed an order for 1,000 pieces. Till recently, Kurunjipadi lungis were exported only to Singapore, Sri Lanka and Malaysia.

Kurunjipadi is one of the first three clusters in the State that has been identified by the Centre for revival of handloom weaving under the Integrated Handloom Development Cluster Programme to ensure continuous employment and regular and more pay to the weavers. Co-optex is the implementing agency.

The U.K. buyer visited the cluster and suggested changes in colour, length, pattern and design.

Thereafter, the weavers started making 10 different varieties.

“This will lead to some drastic changes in the order book of Kurunjipadi weavers, who have been producing low-cost lungis since the 1980s. The buyer has promised to take delivery of another 10,000 lungis,” Special Officer and Managing Director of Co-optex, M.P. Nirmala told The Hindu.

To help his customers, the buyer has prepared an illustration that shows how to wear the lungi in three simple steps. He is also developing a website that has been registered as www.lungi.co.uk. “This is like an eye-opener to us, though we have been exporting lungis,” she added.

“This cluster will take up weaving of natural chemical-free shirts in a big way so that the daily earnings of the weavers will go up. There are around 5,000 active weavers in Kurunjipadi, and 95 per cent of them will be involved in weaving lungis ,” Ms. Nirmala said