Feb 20th: The Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad with support from HSBC, organised a mega handloom event under the HandMade in India (HMI) initiative, on 19th February 2026, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, at EDII, Ahmedabad. The event brought together industry leaders, experts, institutional representatives, designers and artisan communities to celebrate India’s rich handloom heritage and discuss pathways for strengthening the sector’s future.
A key highlight of the programme was the Industry Round Table Meet on ‘Quality Assurance and Brand Building in India’s Handloom Sector.’ The roundtable served as a collaborative platform for dialogue and knowledge exchange among stakeholders from industry, academia, government, and grassroots enterprises. Discussions focussed on improving quality standards, strengthening brand positioning, enhancing market competitiveness and creating sustainable value chains to support long-term artisan livelihoods.
The event also featured a curated handloom fashion show, ‘Threads of Heritage,’ presented under the HandMade in India initiative. The fashion show celebrated the journey of handloom from tradition to contemporary expression, featuring sustainable collections created by weavers from Bhuj (Gujarat) and Erode (Tamil Nadu). Through two thematic rounds, ‘Heritage Hues: Handloom Revival’ and ‘Handloom: The Original Sustainable Fashion’, the presentation highlighted traditional techniques, natural dyes, eco-friendly materials, and modern design interpretations, demonstrating how heritage crafts continue to evolve for present-day markets and responsible fashion.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Ashish Tripathi, CEO & Head, HSBC IBU, said, “HSBC is glad to be associating with EDII on this highly significant project which directly aimed at addressing the unorganised and dispersed nature of the handloom sector, so that its inherent strengths could be honed and tapped to attain unparalleled growth. Hearteningly, the artisans have learnt best practices and the ways of turning their businesses into profit-making, growth-oriented enterprises.”
Commenting on the initiative, Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General said, “We are committed to strengthening artisan livelihoods with entrepreneurship development practices. Through the HandMade in India project, we are working with handloom communities across India to strengthen their skills, sustainability practices and market opportunities. Today’s Fashion show will reflect the outcomes of this effort, bringing out how traditional handlooms can adapt to modern lifestyles while continuing to support sustainable livelihoods. It’s time that the remarkable craftsmanship of our artisan clusters from Bhuj and Erode caught the attention of the people at large.”
Expressing his opinion, Dr. Raman Gujral, Project Director, HandMade in India & Director, Dept. of CSR partnerships, EDII said, “India’s handloom is not just about textiles — it represents our heritage, our identity, and the livelihoods of millions of artisan families. At the same time, we know that today’s markets are changing rapidly, and expectations around quality, consistency, and branding are higher than ever before. The project Handmade in India, addressed these factors and bridged the gap between the markets, products and the artisans.”
The initiative aimed to promote sustainable livelihoods, preserve traditional knowledge and strengthen market linkages for artisan communities while reinforcing the relevance of handloom in today’s economy.