Do you remember the revolutionary Swadeshi movement in the Indian Independence movement? It all started with Khadi. Yes, Gandhiji wanted India to be a self- reliant country. He insisted the people of our country to boycott the garments imported by the Britishers. He believed that this hand spun and hand woven fabric would improve employment opportunities in the rural areas, thus boosting the economic growth of the country.
Khadi has always been a symbol of the political and cultural heritage of India. It had laid the foundation for rural employment which is prevailing even today. The handloom industry began to contribute to the Indian revenue starting from the Swadeshi movement. Even today the handloom sector is the second largest economic activity after agriculture. It has employed over 4.33 million people.
The demand for khadi and other handlooms slowed down during the start of industrialisation. People started to prefer industry looms, since they were more attractive and comparatively cheap. Khadi is now gaining huge craze in the public. The demand for this beautiful handloom is again rising up.
Let’s see a few reasons why people are obsessed with khadi
Sustainability
We are already experiencing the effects of global warming. Rise in temperatures, floods, melting of polar regions, earthquakes, storms and other natural calamities. We can do our part in reducing global warming by choosing sustainable or eco-friendly products.
When a product doesn’t harm the environment during its making, and usage is considered as an eco friendly product. One such product is khadi. We see various other fabrics made by killing or hurting the animals. There are also many fabrics made on machines which release harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Khadi is a completely natural product. It is made by spinning cotton into yarn, and then this yarn is hand weaved to convert it into fabric. No external harmful chemicals are used in this process. The machinery used in making this fabric are the spinning wheel and handloom. They don’t require electricity and can be made by bamboo or wood. Simple machinery is in the manufacturing of khadi, unlike the industries which use heavy and complex machinery.
This fabric is made by man power. Thus, there are no harmful gases released into the atmosphere. We can slowly prevent greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere by choosing the path of sustainability. Choose sustainable fashion by choosing handlooms like khadi.
Weather adaptability
We often buy different clothes for different seasons. We barely find fabrics that can be used in every season. But khadi can give you the best comfort in all seasons. The weaving of khadi fabric is done in such a way that it allows air to pass through the fabric. Since there is scope for air circulation, khadi keeps you cool during the hot summers. Though khadi lets air pass through it, this fabric still keeps you warm in winters. It is also a great absorbent of moisture.So cool right! Why do you want to spend money on various clothes for various seasons, when this magical fabric can fulfill all your seasonal needs?
Durability
Khadi is a very durable fabric. It doesn’t wear off easily. You can use it for multiple years without the fear of shrinking or tearing off after washing. Generally, fabrics become old and wear off as time passes by. But khadi is unique. It ages beautifully and becomes more exquisite. Khadi sarees last longer than any other silk or cotton saree. You find these highly resistant Khadi sarees online too.
Uniqueness
Probably, khadi is the only fabric whose texture and feel does not match with one another. Every khadi garment be it saree, dothi, kurtis, etc are unique. They don’t match with each other. They might have similar colours or patterns but no two khadi garments will be the same. Though there are so many khadi sarees online that might look the same, they are not exactly the same in reality. So, when you wear khadi outfits, you are actually wearing an exclusive garment which cannot be recreated as it is by anybody else. People who are in search of unique clothes can opt for khadi.
Why wouldn’t people be obsessed with khadi when it has such amazing benefits? It reflects the rich culture and heritage of our country. How can somebody not own this eco friendly and money saving garment? The immense hard work of the weavers makes this fabric unique and magical. This beautiful fabric gives an elegant and rich appeal when you wear it. So wear this symbol of Indian independence with pride.
