About Udupi Saree Revival Project
Initiated by Kadike Trust‘Udupi Saree Revival Project’ was initiated by Kadike Trust at Talipady Weavers Society with following goals:
To bring sustainable local craft out of extinction mode which could be a solution to climate emergency
To create better market with fair price and better remuneration to the artisans
To increase the number of weavers in Udupi and Daskhina Kannada
Kadike Trust was formed in year 2018 by a few like-minded persons concerned about the environment. The objective of the Trust is to nurture sustainable rural livelihood and to document indigenous knowledge.
Kadike Trust has been recognised with awards for its work. The president of the Trust, Mamatha Rai was chosen by Deccan Herald as one of 21 change-makers of the year 2021. The Trust was recognised as one of the three best-performing NGOs in 2021 by NABARD at the national level for the work done in the Handloom sector.
Udupi Saree Revival Project
The First major project the Trust undertook on inception is the “Udupi Saree Revival Project”. When it started the project in the year 2018, keeping Talipady Weavers’ Society, Kinnigoli as its base, there were only 8 weavers in the society and a total of 45 weavers in the two districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. As a result of the intensive revival efforts by the Trust the number of weavers has increased to 34 in Talipady Society and 72 in the two districts. New young weavers were trained by the Trust with the support from NABARD and employed in the Talipady Weavers’ Society. Weavers who had left the job have returned to weaving with an increased remuneration. The average age of the weavers has come down drastically.
Some weavers have returned to weaving after a break as long as two decades. A new marketing strategy was chalked out and implemented successfully through social media platforms. Udupi Saree Facebook page has thousands of strong followers from all over India and abroad. Weavers are encouraged through awards and regular exposure in the media. These efforts have given a boost to their morale. In order to make Udupi Sarees more eco-friendly and to add value to the products, Natural Dyeing has been introduced and a full-fledged natural dye unit is being established in the Talipady Society by the Trust with support from the SELCO Foundation.
How did the Kadike trust begin the revival project?
Kadike Trust started the project in 2018. To gather first-hand information, trustees visited different Weavers Societies and individual weavers. There wasn’t enough information on Udupi Saree weaving. No one knew about the actual figure of the active Udupi Saree weavers. Few aged weavers were working under 5 weavers societies and some under KHDC unit .
People who live in the vicinity of Weavers Societies were also not aware of these sarees. And most of the locals who knew, were under the impression that these magga sarees are only for daily labourers and ajjis (grandmothers)
After conducting survey in 2018 , trustees figured out that only 45 (Udupi saree weavers -42)
weavers were active . There were no weavers below age 50.
Handmade industries have the potential to provide jobs to many without harming the environment. So Kadike Trust decided to work towards the revival of our own Udupi Sarees which are produced sustainably.
Reviving was a challenging task. The remaining weavers are aged and at any time they would retire from the profession. Their children are already well-settled in different jobs. So there were no youngsters to take it forward. Most of the Weavers Societies and weavers had no hope in revival.
Finally the “Talipady Weavers Cooperative Society” at Kinnigoli readily agreed to work towards revival along with Kadike Trust . Thus Udupi Saree revival project by Kadike Trust in association with Talipady Weavers Society initiated.
What does the revival work constitute of?
Kadike Trust started revival work in association with Talipady Weavers Society with following goals: to increase the number of weavers, to bring dignity to the profession, to create awareness about Udupi Saree, and to create better market with better price to Udupi Saree. At Talipady Weavers Society there were only 8 aged weavers. Two of them were working in the society premises and one of them was about to discontinue the profession. The existing weavers weaved only 60 count sarees and receive very low remuneration.
Via Facebook page “Udupi Saree Revival” and via other social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, Kadike Trust started giving information about Udupi Sarees. In the beginning trustees themselves participated in various events and exhibitions to create awareness about Udupi Saree weaving . Later Weavers Societies and weavers were encouraged to participate in various exhibitions. Kadike Trust is a charitable trust and does not involve in business. On behalf of the Talipady Weavers Society, Mamatha Rai, president of the Trust volunteered and created a WhatsApp group to market Udupi Sarees online. This platform helped customers to buy authentic handloom sarees at an affordable price keeping profit margin minimal and the weavers received better remuneration. Along with Talipady Weavers Society, trust created market for sarees of Padupanamboor and yasksha sarees of Shivalli Society also.
A small margin obtained by selling sarees to distant customers was used for revival related activities, to provide yearly incentives, to give training & wage compensation to new weavers and to help during medical and other needs to the weavers.
The brand “Udupi Saree” was created with an attractive label designed by reputed designer Sachidananda Mysuru with weavers’ names and photos, which received an overwhelming response by customers with “Know your Weaver” theme.
Trust regularly honours weavers with “Uttama Nekara” and “Nekara Ratna “awards which has given a boost to the morale of weavers by recognition in their social circles. It has also regularly recommended weavers’ names for awards conferred by other NGOs and departments as per the merits of weavers of different societies. It ensures that focused media attention is given to weavers and Udupi sarees whenever there is any news.
The first weaving training was conducted by the Trust for new and comeback weavers with own funds. Some very talented artisans returned to weaving, with a minimum wage assurance by the Trust and Talipady Weavers Society as per their specialization. Subsequently, the Trust received NABARD grant for training . Trainees in the age group 29 to 55 participated in the training.
Due to growing awareness about sustainable products in the present times, the Trust initiated the production of naturally dyed Udupi Sarees, which became an immediate hit in the market. It arranged a natural dyeing training program at Talipady Society by experts. It coordinated with the concerned departments in getting the G I “Authorised User Registration” for Weavers Societies from the GI Registry, Govt. of India. It also conducts awareness programs in the Society for weavers on matters related to health, alcoholism and other social issues. The trust has helped many individual weavers including weavers from other societies too in health related issues. It has arranged a small fund for unexpected needs of weavers and staff of Talipady Weavers Society. It has contributed looms to Talipady Society and helped weavers in time of natural calamity and pandemics and has helped some weavers in building a loom shed at their residence.
The trust invites people from different walks of life to get hands on experience of handloom and to interact with weavers. This has resulted in creating local market and increased spirit of individual weavers. These efforts are already showing results; sales have increased in many societies, weavers have come back, young weavers are trained and appointed after two decades, the number of weavers increased to 35 at Talipady Weavers Society and to 74 in two districts.