Gujarat’s indigenous craft to get fresh lease of life

VADODARA: The languishing craft of weaving mashru, an indigenous fabric of Gujarat having its roots in Patan and Kutch, will get a fresh lease of life.

Researchers at M S University’s Department of Clothing and Textiles are trying to rejuvenate the craft with design and product diversification.
“We all know about celebrated handloom fabrics like brocade and ikat. Mashru is a beautiful bliss of these two fabric techniques. This functional fabric is very suitable as per the climatic condition of hot regions,” said Priyanka Kumari, who took up the project as part of her PhD under guidance of professor Anjali Karolia.
At present, mashru is mainly made in combination of rayon and cotton in Patan and cotton by cotton in few villages of Kutch.
Kumari has developed multiple varieties of mashru including mulberry silk by cotton, tasar silk by cotton, korea silk by cotton along with existing varieties. At the same time, she has tried to reintroduce lost techniques of mashru.
“Long back, ikat and brocade ‘buttis’ were the characterizing features of this craft. Unfortunately, at present use of these is not seen. It is commonly identified by its stripe pattern,” said Kumari, who with the help of Patan-based mashru weaver has even prepared men’s wear, kids wear, office wear, furnishings to provide a wider market to mashru.
Weaving is usually considered as men’s task. “However, women mashru weavers of Patan have proved it as an obsolete notion. They had headed towards economic empowerment in their traditional setting. But with few mashru weavers left in Patan, it needs to be strengthened. The numbers of mashru weavers are very less in Kutch as well. Its strengthening can be done with active participation of weavers and its promotion among people,” she said.