Odisha’s Indigenous Weaving Initiative Seeks Livelihoods for Tribal Women

Folkweave is helping tribal women in Odisha learn and share traditional weaving skills.

The women learn how to weave, make natural dyes and use indigenous designs.

Their work can become clothing and items such as saris, bags and jackets.

Some natural colours come from plants and trees.

One trained weaver, Gangei Chalan, is now teaching other girls.

Folkweave wants to connect more artisans with customers and help them earn fairly.

It also reuses leftover cloth and returns dyeing residue to the soil.

The goal is to make weaving a useful livelihood as well as a way to keep knowledge alive.