Handloom Clothing – Starting my own Brand

It’s been a couple of years since I wrote this post – “Everyone who knows me can clearly infer my love for comfortable cotton clothing, khadi, linen, handloom, and handcrafted clothing. To put into words “Minimalist” and “Anti-fit” is my style. I can’t wear fitted clothes just because they look good. I love clothes that breathe and let me breathe too, sitting and working in body-hugging clothing in my 9-5 corporate job is a nightmare for me. Even when the air conditioning in the office is ready to turn me into a “White Walker”, I still stick to my lovely breathing anti-fit cotton dresses and shirts.”

and it holds true even now….

After years of loving clothes by many local brands, I along with a friend (Richa Maheshwari) have launched our own label – Spun & Woven. Inspired by the handloom legacy and the dexterity of the artisans, we aspire to sustain the traditional crafts.

Spun & Woven is a product of love for Indian weaves and textiles and takes its name from the spinning and weaving of fabric manually on a loom.

Our webshop is under construction but we are taking orders from our Instagram Page. 

Handloom is an art that has been passed down to Indian generations for years. Handloom comprises the largest cottage industry and the second-largest employment provider for India’s rural population after agriculture.

Handloom is the name given to fabric that is woven on a hand-operated weaving loom, it is an environmentally friendly, low energy-driven industry that is slowly losing itself in the fast fashion trends. 

We at Spunwoven have started an initiative to help revive the handloom industry and go back to our roots, to bring to you the magic of handwoven fabric from different corners of the country. The beauty of the handloom fabrics lies in the intricate craftsmanship that the new age fabric can never match or the power looms can ever recreate. Today, fast fashion is available with a single click with thousands of designs launched every week in an average quality fabric. The fabric gives away in a few washed creating a need for more consumption. Handloom fabric on the other hand will outlast your fast fashion and is much more sustainable with high quality in texture and comfort.

Every state in India has its own traditional weave that is passed down generations. We are currently working with weavers from Chanderi, Maheshwari, Bhagalpur, Kaithun, Kutch, Pochampally, Bagru, and more. 

This is a handloom Chanderi silk tissue saree in Orange from our collection that is available in other bright shades. 

Mint Green Chanderi Saree as seen on Aditi Sharma.

We don’t restrict handloom to only traditional Indian wear but have customized it in more contemporary, globally relevant designs. 

The co-ordinate set is a custom order only that comes with a Chanderi dusty pink jacket and metallic grey top and pant set. We do not believe in boxing people in fixed sizes, you can just drop us a message on our Instagram page with your preferred size requirement and our team shall get back to you. The set can be customized in any size. 

Handloom is our heritage, as any handcrafted piece, it is much more expensive than the power loom fabric that dominates the market today. Also owing to the manual labor that goes into weaving each fabric the cost of the final product is higher than the machine-made fabric. The intricacies of a handloom fabric are unparalleled and machine-made fibers are nowhere close to the dexterity a skilled weaver has had who the skills passed down generations as heirlooms.  

Sadly, a lot of brands pass on cheap power loom fabrics as handloom, creating a dearth of opportunities for the weavers. On a handloom, one saree takes a minimum of a month to weave the intricate patterns and it might come with some irregularities which are not defects but add to the charm of handwoven fabric. An experienced handloom appreciator can spot the difference between handloom and power loom fabric just by the feel of it. Handloom fabric/sarees are soft with knots and threads at the ends whereas power loom ones are stiff to touch and flawless. 

We at Spun & Woven – Handcrafted Luxury keep very limited stock and do not mass produce any of our weaves. Our collections are limited in number, come directly from the weaver/artisans, are inspired by the rich cultural heritage and with each weave, we believe in contributing to the artisanal heritage and bringing the age-old craftsmanship into a comfort wardrobe that defies trends and seasons.