4 days ago
Jamakkalam Craft Finds New Life Through Young Weaver
Jamakkalam is a thick, striped cotton fabric made in Tamil Nadu for almost 300 years.
Many families once earned money by weaving it.
In recent years, fewer people bought it, so many looms stopped working.
Varsha Sivakumar grew up around the looms and decided to help the craft continue.
She created House of Jamakkalam in 2026.
The group keeps the old patterns but uses better yarn and new colours.
It sells products such as pouches and custom-made carpets.
Weavers receive payment upfront and extra money for difficult designs.
Social media has helped connect the weavers with customers in India and other countries.
Varsha Sivakumar, 26, founded House of Jamakkalam to support Bhavani’s traditional Jamakkalam weavers.
Jamakkalam is a striped cotton craft made in Bhavani and Kumarapalayam for nearly 300 years.
The number of active Bhavani weavers reportedly fell from about 20,000 to 3,000 in two decades as cooperative orders declined.
House of Jamakkalam works with roughly 30 to 35 weavers, using finer yarn, updated colours and traditional patterns.
The initiative pays upfront and offers 30–35% premiums on complex orders, while Instagram has helped reach buyers overseas.
- Who
- Varsha Sivakumar, House of Jamakkalam, and approximately 30 to 35 Jamakkalam weavers, including Agilandam and Mariyamma.
- What
- A young entrepreneur is building a market for the traditional Jamakkalam cotton weave while improving orders and earnings for its weavers.
- Where
- Bhavani and neighbouring Kumarapalayam in Tamil Nadu, India.
- When
- The craft has existed for nearly 300 years; Varsha began documenting it in 2017, and House of Jamakkalam was established in 2026.
- Why
- Government cooperative orders declined, buyers moved away from the traditional product, and the number of active weavers fell sharply.
Key facts
- Craft
- Jamakkalam, a thick, striped cotton weave
- Location
- Bhavani and Kumarapalayam, Tamil Nadu
- Craft history
- Nearly 300 years
- GI recognition
- Received a Geographical Indication tag in 2005–06
- House of Jamakkalam workforce
- Approximately 30 to 35 weavers
- Weaver premium
- 30–35% on complex orders
- Custom-order price
- About Rs 10,000 to more than Rs 30,000, depending on size and complexity
Quotes
Varsha Sivakumar
Founder of House of Jamakkalam and a young handloom entrepreneur
“The instinct isn't to invent a new visual language for Jamakkalam, but to notice what's already sitting inside the old one and bring it forward with only the smallest of nudges, like colours and proportions, to make it feel more contemporary.”
thebetterindia.com
“The heat matters less to me than getting the mix of reds, purples, blues and yellows just right, so that Varsha and I are both satisfied with the work.”
thebetterindia.com
Sources
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