Tamil Nadu weaver introduces saree made of bamboo yarn

COIMBATORE: Going green is the buzzword here. After his success with banana sarees, 45-year-old TA Kumaran from Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram district is in the limelight again with his latest eco-friendly discovery - sarees made of bamboo fibre.     

The ‘bamboo sarees’, which became an instant hit, has earned the handloom weaver a berth in the ongoing Deepavali festival at Poompuhar showroom in the district. Though the festival usually promotes crafts and lamps, the authorities have allotted a stall to the weaver this time, thanks to his latest innovation. 

Speaking to TNIE, Kumaran said that he uses 20 per cent bamboo fibre and 80 per cent cotton to weave the sarees. “Weaving has been our family business for generations, and it is passed on to me by my father,” he said, adding that he procures bamboo yarn from a co-operative society in Paramakudi and it takes nearly 10 days to make a ‘bamboo saree’.

 The sarees displayed at Poompuhar showroom ranges from  Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,280. Terming the idea conceived by Kumaran as great, Manager of Poompuhar showroom C Ronald Selvestin said that a few more weavers from Paramakudi are likely to join the exhibition in the coming days.