{"id":4155,"date":"2025-08-10T18:00:35","date_gmt":"2025-08-10T18:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/10\/the-untold-stories-of-kachchh-artisans-leading-a-sustainable-fashion-movement-lifestyle-news\/"},"modified":"2025-08-10T18:00:35","modified_gmt":"2025-08-10T18:00:35","slug":"the-untold-stories-of-kachchh-artisans-leading-a-sustainable-fashion-movement-lifestyle-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/10\/the-untold-stories-of-kachchh-artisans-leading-a-sustainable-fashion-movement-lifestyle-news\/","title":{"rendered":"The Untold Stories Of Kachchh Artisans Leading A Sustainable Fashion Movement | Lifestyle News"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Artisans of Kachchh are redefining \u201cMade in India\u201d through sustainable design, heritage revival, and their own creative authorship.<\/h2>\n
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From Kutch to the world, meet the artisan-designers turning tradition into tomorrow\u2019s sustainable fashion.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

In India\u2019s vibrant craft landscape, the \u201cMade in India” label is often celebrated but as Amrita Somaiya, Trustee of Somaiya Vidyavihar and Governing Board Member, Somaiya Kala Vidya (SKV), points out, it rarely tells the whole story. \u201cThe label \u2018Made in India\u2019 has long served as a catch-all, often overlooking the nuanced identities, skills, and stories of the artisans who actually create these pieces. To move toward more honest representation, we need a fundamental shift from seeing artisans as anonymous producers to recognizing them as designers, storytellers, and entrepreneurs in their own right,” she says.<\/p>\n

At SKV, this shift is driven by design education for traditional artisans, enabling them to innovate from within their own traditions. Through initiatives like Design Craft, artisan-designer collections reach the market under their own names, allowing buyers to connect with both the maker and the meaning behind the work. \u201cCraft is not a monolith. It\u2019s diverse, dynamic, and deeply personal. The future lies in moving from \u2018Made in India\u2019 to \u2018Designed and Made by\u2026\u2019, where the name and identity of the artisan are not hidden but proudly celebrated,” adds Somaiya.<\/p>\n

For Somaiya, sustainability is not just a question of materials, but of livelihoods. \u201cIt\u2019s about making sure that the incredible traditions we work with don\u2019t just survive, but thrive in the hands of the artisans who own them\u2026 For me, sustainability is about keeping the heritage alive, communities strong, and our connection to the earth, to our culture, and to each other intact.”<\/p>\n

Journeys of Craft and Change<\/strong><\/p>\n

Among the artisans who have taken this philosophy to heart is Aashiya Khatri, a Bandhani artisan-designer from a family steeped in the tradition. She admits she once dismissed the craft as \u201ctoo symmetric and typical” until she began exploring contemporary, abstract forms. \u201cThat\u2019s how I decided to take up Bandhani as a career to supply to people like me who like crafts, but need something modern,” she explains.<\/p>\n

Kishan Bokhani, an extra-weft weaver, first learned his craft in primary school but nearly left it behind while studying to become an electrician. The realisation that this path would make him \u201ca labourer, not a skilled artisan” drew him back. His design education at SKV opened new creative possibilities. \u201cBefore joining SKV, I mostly produced designs created by others. Now I create my own designs, collections, and brand SAATKHANI and work independently.”<\/p>\n

For Akhtar Khatri, Batik is a six-generation family legacy. He recalls his early years in the workshop watching cutting, printing, and dyeing processes, and later joining SKV to hone his design and marketing skills. \u201cAfter graduating, my vision changed. I developed a USP in the market and launched my own brand \u2018Miniya by Akhtar.\u2019 We are not just artisans anymore, we are designers too.”<\/p>\n

Sustainability in Practice<\/strong><\/p>\n

For Aashiya, sustainability is a deeply personal, almost familial value. She tells the story of her mother bringing home restaurant food in stainless steel containers to avoid plastic. \u201cHer small act serves as a powerful lesson that sustainability isn\u2019t just about trendy buzzwords; it\u2019s about making conscious choices that align with our beliefs.” In her workshop, waste cloth is repurposed into diaries, bags, and more.<\/p>\n

Kishan stays true to traditional extra-weft weaving techniques even as designs evolve. Akhtar, meanwhile, is reviving natural dyes, reducing chemical use, and prioritising handwoven fabrics. \u201cNatural dye plays an important role in sustainability\u2026 it benefits the environment and supports employment from farming to weaving,” he says.<\/p>\n

Overcoming Resistance<\/strong><\/p>\n

Innovation in traditional crafts is rarely without its critics. Aashiya faced skepticism from seniors who feared modernisation would dilute Bandhani\u2019s identity. Her answer was to highlight the craft\u2019s unique intricacy, which transcends motifs. Kishan\u2019s departure from regular patterns met similar doubts, but his SKV-inspired collections proved successful. Akhtar had to educate customers about the true value of high-quality Batik, contrasting it with mass-produced market versions.<\/p>\n

Looking Forward<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hope runs deep among these artisans. Aashiya believes Bandhani is \u201cevergreen,” with roots stretching back to the Ajanta Caves, and sees modernisation as the key to survival. Kishan envisions a future where more weavers become recognised artisan-designers. Akhtar\u2019s ambition is to take Kutch\u2019s Batik printing to national and international stages while keeping it sustainable and innovative.<\/p>\n

As Somaiya reflects, the sustainable fashion movement in Kachchh is not just about preserving craft, it\u2019s about transforming the way the world sees artisans. Through education, authorship, and visibility, these creators are reclaiming the narrative of what \u201cMade in India” truly means.<\/p>\n

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Swati Chaturvedi<\/a><\/p>\n

Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she’s a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl…Read More<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she’s a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl… Read More<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Last Updated:August 10, 2025, 19:00 IST Artisans of Kachchh are redefining \u201cMade in India\u201d through sustainable design, heritage revival, and their own creative authorship. From Kutch to the world, meet the artisan-designers turning tradition into tomorrow\u2019s sustainable fashion. In India\u2019s vibrant craft landscape, the \u201cMade in India” label is often celebrated but as Amrita Somaiya,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4156,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4155","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4155","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4155"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4155\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4156"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4155"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4155"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4155"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}