Ahmedabad : The Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad, with support from HSBC, successfully organised a mega handloom event under the HandMade in India (HMI) initiative on February 19, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the EDII campus. The programme brought together industry leaders, policymakers, designers, institutional representatives, academia and artisan communities to celebrate India’s rich handloom heritage while discussing strategic pathways to strengthen the future of the sector.
A key highlight of the event was the Industry Roundtable Meet on “Quality Assurance and Brand Building in India’s Handloom Sector.” The roundtable served as a collaborative platform for knowledge exchange among stakeholders from industry, government, academia and grassroots enterprises. Discussions focused on improving quality benchmarks, strengthening brand identity, enhancing global competitiveness and developing sustainable value chains to ensure long-term and stable livelihoods for artisan communities.
The event also showcased a curated handloom fashion presentation titled “Threads of Heritage,” presented under the HandMade in India initiative. The fashion show traced the journey of handloom from tradition to contemporary relevance, featuring sustainable collections crafted by weavers from Bhuj (Gujarat) and Erode (Tamil Nadu). Through two thematic sequences — “Heritage Hues: Handloom Revival” and “Handloom: The Original Sustainable Fashion” — the showcase highlighted traditional weaving techniques, natural dyes, eco-friendly materials and modern design interpretations, demonstrating how India’s handloom heritage continues to evolve in alignment with responsible and sustainable fashion trends.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Ashish Tripathi, CEO & Head, HSBC IBU, said, “HSBC is proud to partner with EDII on this important initiative aimed at addressing the fragmented and unorganised nature of the handloom sector, enabling its inherent strengths to be harnessed for sustainable growth. Encouragingly, artisans have adopted best practices and are transforming their traditional skills into growth-oriented and profitable enterprises.”
Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General, EDII, stated, “We remain committed to strengthening artisan livelihoods through entrepreneurship development. The HandMade in India project works closely with handloom communities across the country to enhance skills, sustainability and market access. Today’s fashion show reflects how traditional handlooms can adapt to modern lifestyles while supporting sustainable livelihoods and bringing deserved recognition to artisan clusters from Bhuj and Erode.”
Dr. Raman Gujral, Project Director – HandMade in India & Director, Dept. of CSR Partnerships, EDII, added,
“India’s handloom represents our cultural identity and supports millions of artisan families. With evolving market expectations around quality, consistency and branding, the HandMade in India initiative bridges the gap between artisans, markets and products, ensuring stronger positioning and long-term sectoral growth.”
The initiative aims to promote sustainable livelihoods, preserve traditional knowledge systems and strengthen market linkages for artisan communities, while reinforcing the continued relevance of handloom in India’s modern economy.