Apparel September 2019 Apparel September 2019 issue | 页面 80

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
DECONSTRUCTING KHADI
In light of the high sales figures the khadi industry has been clocking of late,
Samir Alam traces its growth patterns over the years.
The state of the Indian economy seems to be
under debate. While the Government has been
promoting the story of a booming India for the
last few months, it seems to be at odds with the
current reality of the industry. Analysts at leading
firms like Goldman Sachs have highlighted the
drudgery of the last 18 months as being the
longest stretch of slowdown since 2006. The
national gross domestic product (GDP) growth
has slowed down to 5.8 per cent from January to
March, 2019, with minor improvements expected
in the next quarter.
This impact has been felt across retail sectors
and even on consumer expenditure but has
somehow left the khadi industry untouched.
Despite the challenges of low exports, currency
volatility, issues of consumer debt, and corporate
loan scandals, the domestic retail industry
has been enduring, and in some cases, even
flourishing—a case in point is khadi retail, which
has been recording highest sales of late. Hence,
it is important to understand the position and role
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khadi plays in our industry and economy, whilst
also deciphering how it continues to ride high as
the overall economy appears to settle low.
THE GENESIS
Khadi fabrics are traditionally thought to be hand-
spun and handwoven from cotton fibre but can
also be found in various new blends, such as with
silk. The versatility of the fabric has always been
one of its hallmarks and the very reason it has
been around for nearly 5,000 years.
Khadi has come a long way from its humble
origin of being a cloth of the people. What was
once a symbol of self-reliance during the Indian
struggle for independence has now become a
key source of livelihood for millions across the
country. Under the vision of Mahatma Gandhi,
the fabric underwent resurgence during the
Indian independence movement, as a means
to adopt a swadeshi way of living. This led
to the establishment of the All India Spinners
Association in 1925, a body meant to propagate