Prospects increase for handwoven products:

Maruthamunai handloom products break new ground

by Naalir Jamaldeen

Maruthamunai is a beautiful village situated along the Eastern coastal belt nearly five kilometres off Kalmunai City. Since 1932 the people in this village produce handloom for the local community. Maruthamunai sarongs were famous in Sri Lanka prior to the advent of Indian sarongs. The tsunami severely affected the handloom industry in Maruthamunai and Kalmunai.

Material being dyed

Two workers at loom

A worker arranging the loomed saris

Pix: Naalir Jamaldeen

A large number of looms was destroyed killing thousands of people including experienced loom workers. Over 768 looms were destroyed, Eastern Social Mobilising Organisation (ESMO) sources said.

Loom operators in the Kalmunai Divisional Secretariat experienced a loss of over Rs. 6.8 million. According to ESMO, over 1,084 families in the Maruthamunai produce handlooms. Skilled workers is the main problem which the industry is currently undergoing.

We spoke to a cross section of loom operators. Ismail Lebbe Muhammad Hassanar said that production cost of handlooms is high compared to powerloom material but still top the market.

There is a shortage of workers in this sector after the tsunami. The percentage of the younger generation who enter this industry is reducing drastically due to the availability of opportunities for higher education. Wages for loom workers are low compared to the wages from other sectors such as carpentry and masonry and earn Rs. 1,000 per day, Hassanar said.

He said that Rs. 140 is given to weave a metre of fabric. A worker can weave from five to six metres of cloth per day.

Sarongs, shirts fabric, saris, table cloths, bed sheets and pillow cases are produced at Hassanar’s loom. “Imported cotton thread is used in the weaving process. Completed products are distributed to individual shopkeepers in Kurunegala and other parts of the country. We also receive orders from others including tourist hotels from time to time”, Hassanar said.

Hassanar said that prior to the tsunami, over 21 people worked with him, but now the number has dropped to seven. “Due to tsunami we experienced a loss of Rs. 1.3 million”, Hassanar said.

Hassanar produced Dhamma school uniform materials before the tsunami. Due to the shortage of experienced workers he said he was unable to produce Dhamma school uniform materials any more. With a view to improving the handloom industry in the region, he conducted a series of workshops for youth in the region. Workshops were held in five places including Thirukkovil and Satturukkondan.

He said that eventhough newcomers weave, the quality is not satisfactory. No dealer is ready to purchase these products. Weavers must be given incentives if the industry is to survive. It will take time for new weavers to learn the art. Arrangements must also be made by the relevant authorities to market their products.

Hassanar has undergone training in Norway. He has also been to India to study techniques of handloom weaving.

Hassanar said that he was prepared to train the younger generation. Handloom weaving is an independent industry. Weaving at loom is not difficult. Even at homes looms can be operated. It can also be made a hobby.

The finish in handloom textiles produced in Maruthamunai was excellent when compared to textiles woven by powerlooms.

Powerlooms can produce over thousand of metres of cloth per day. But the quality varies. There is a demand for Sri Lankan handloom textiles in the world, Hassanar said. So it was necessary to teach the younger generation to operate on handlooms.

There are nearly 18 professional and a large number of domestic weavers in the Maruthamunai, according to Hassanar. He said that as this was the off season, sales have decreased. Production and sale will increase during festive seasons such as Sinhala and Hindu new year, Ramadhan and Haj festivals.

There are two types of dye used in the dying process of thread natural and artificial. Natural dyes are costly as lot of herbs are included, Hassanar said.

Hassanar said that the Government had trained 15 handloom operators to produce natural dye. Meanwhile, the weavers focused only on a few items; by producing new varieties international market can be attracted.

There is a demand for Sri Lankan hand woven products in Norway. Beige coloured products have a demand in Norway. There is a tendency among the Norwegians that they will not change the colour choices from time to time, Hassanar said. The authorities should import yarn to cater to the international market. Local weavers must coordinate with the international textile market and middlemen should be prevented from being involved, he said. Hassanar said that the handloom operators have also brought their problems to the attention of the Export Development Board (EDB).

Hassanar has received two awards from the Ministry of Textiles for a Salwar kit and a sari produced using the Petthampili technique. Muhammad Ibrahim Ubaidul Rahman, Managing Director of Jahi Weavers said that over 150 families were working with him.

The Eastern Provincial Director of Industrial Development in Trincomalee encouraged Rahman to start a people’s company, which he did, with more than 300 people who had a history in weaving, pooling in small amounts of money, and turning out a few sample products, they went to Colombo, to meet the Director of the Department of textiles, Vijitha Seneviratna. “The Textile Director was very happy”, said Rahman.

Rahman started his handloom industry with five looms in 1999, he was able to increase the number of looms to 25 in 2001. He bought a land for his industry with credit assistance from the EXPO centre. He gathered groups of weavers and put up small cottages, placing in each, five looms and one supervisor. Weavers could also weave at home and the work is collected. “In one month about 3,000 sarongs, 1,500 saris, and other materials were complete, Rahman said.

“Now customers come to Jahi Weavers from various parts of the country such as Colombo, Kandy and Ratnapura to buy our products.

After the dawn of peace in the country the number of customers have also increased by a considerable level. At present there are about 100 cottage factories and around 1,000 families involved in weaving. They earn more than Rs. 700 per day,” Rahman said.

Rahman’s people’s company also holds regular exhibitions at the B.M.I.C.H. receiving stalls and free transport service from the Department of Textiles and linking with new suppliers. “In 2003, we had the best ever exhibition. In three days, all our products were sold and we collected Rs.2.5 million. Shop owners and individual buyers were surprised that Sri Lankans could make such good quality products like that,” Rahman said.

Since the duty on Indian materials has increased, Maruthamunai should seize the opportunity to improve the handloom industry. Yarn for the looms is imported from India by suppliers in Colombo at 20 percent discount.

Rahman has a quality checking area. He has set up loom cottages in Maruthamunai, Neelawanai, Navithanveli areas. “We have expanded this upto Katthankudy and Eruvil”, he said.

Mainly Kurtha, blouse, ladies top, ladies pant materials, sarongs, saris and wedding saris are produced at Rahman’s looms. Rahman receives sari orders from textile owners in Colombo from time to time.

Over 500 metres of fabric is woven per day at these looms. A metre of cloth material is sold from Rs.500 to Rs.600.

Rahman said that as a result of increase in the production cost, their level of income has declined considerably. Weavers are unable to increase the price very frequently. The change of dollar value has also affected this industry.

Rahman targets the local customers. His products are available at textile shops along Galle Road, Colombo.

Rahman said that there is a large number of experienced weavers in Navithanveli and Thalangkuda areas. There is enough possibility for the emergence of new weavers in the future from here. Rahman is operating looms with the help of 15 experienced weavers in these areas. He also plans to develop looms into a factory. Rahman has also made a request from the authorities that the handloom weavers in Maruthamunai should be entitled to benefits being provided by the Government.

Rahman is weaving silk materials on a mini scale. Workers have to be trained to weave silk fabric. Now workers are being trained gradually. Modifying the existing looms will help increase the production capacity and quality. Rupees 50,000 is required to modify a single loom. He has 225 looms at present. Rupees five million will be required to modify all looms.

Rahman maintains a separate plant for dyeing. As a large quantity of yarn is dyed daily, there is the threat of environment pollution. So Rahman plans to set up a waste water treatment plant at his factory premises with a view to minimise environmental hazards.

He expressed confidence that the handloom industry can be modified to cater to the needs of the present era. Handloom textiles have now turned into luxury cloth material. We need advice and guidance from the Government, he said.

Rahman said that he is importing yarn from India. Egyptian cotton is the best in the world but it is very costly. Similar quality yarn is available in India.

Rahman imports thread from Koyamputtur. There are enough choices. He uses over 4,000 kilos of yarn every month. Meanwhile, Rahman has won the first prize in the Eastern province for colour matching sari organised by the Ministry of Textile Department.

He also won the second prize offered by the central Government.

The Government has given orders to weave Dhamma School saris with a view to help handloom weavers. Rahman has also been given orders by the Government to produce Dhamma School saris.