Chandigarh, India: Bharatsthali, a one-of-its-own-kind handloom saree and fabric store, launches a new range of handloom silk fabrics and sarees with the quality assurance of Silk Mark India. Silk Mark India is a certification that ensures the originality of the silk weaves. Sumati Gogna, Founder of Bharatsthali highlighted the need for such a much-needed initiative to counter machine looms and cheap imitation fabric from China and Vietnam flooding the lanes. “There are silk connoisseurs out there but the gap between the demand and supply, reaching out to the youth in the most pertinent manner and making only the authentic traditional silk sarees available so that the consumers don’t feel cheated and get the best value of their money-remains a major concern. While Bharatsthali fills the rift and digitally connects the weavers and consumers, this new array of silk sarees with the certification of Silk Mark India will promote awareness of customers regarding what’s real is real.”

Only a handful of weavers are committed to the art now and we can’t blame them for leaving this glorious tradition and industry that is mainly decentralised. It is difficult to earn a livelihood when a faux Banarasi saree is available at a fraction of the cost. The richness of the drape and intricacy of the weave can be masked easily. There are many customers, who wouldn’t purchase heirloom silk sarees in order to avoid a dubious purchase. Silk sarees affixed with Silk Mark India prompts such fence-sitters to embrace silk by safeguarding the purity of weaves. “With the Silk Mark India, the sarees get a valid backing from the right sources –an assurance for the customers, who already have the guarantee of authentic handloom sarees and fabric from the very start,” says Pulkit, CFO, Bharatsthali. “We have a very loyal customer base and we are here to protect the interest of our customers and genuine weavers associated with us. Silk Mark on our silk sarees helps to put an end to queries, questions and concerns regarding identifying the real silk,” he further adds.

The Silk Mark & Handlooms Asia label has a hologram and a unique number that can be traced back to its authorised user. It cannot be replicated and is only affixed on pure silk products by authorised members in the form of sew-in tags and paper hangtags.