P Sanjai Gandhi, IP attorney and Nodal Officer, Geographical Indication Registration of Products, Government of Tamil Nadu, who prepared and filed the application on behalf of the 15 different co-operatives, said, “the application was submitted on Tuesday and it is expected to get GI tag shortly.”The Negamam cotton saree, also known as village cot saree, is known for its thickness, length, durability, contrasting colours and multicolour thread work of motifs, checks and designs.

The unique feature of this saree is its thickness, which is, on an average, 86 to 90 picks per inch (PPI) and plain coloured body with contrast border and pallu. The border is woven with a rich thread work design as an extra weft. These sarees are mostly woven in pit looms with additional dobby and jacquard attachments for border and pallu.

The length of the traditional Negamam cotton saree is 7.3 meters to 8.2 meters with a running blouse attached to it. The standard size of any other saree is 5.5 meters. The saree has intricate pallus adorned with traditional motifs (peacocks, parrots, elephants, and swans).

“Negamam cotton sarees are produced in the clusters of Coimbatore district which receive the moisture-laden winds from the Western Ghats. This factor adds up to the unique feature of the saree since the peak time for manufacturing it is from June to November,” said Gandhi.

Earlier, Negamam cotton sarees were manufactured in Negamam and they slowly spread to various villages in the areas of Udumalpet, Pollachi and Palladam. Currently, this saree is being manufactured by 15 weavers’ societies across villages of Pollachi, Sulur, Kinathukadavu, Anamalai, and Udumalpet Taluks in Coimbatore with the help of over 4,500 looms.