Flipkart launches an exclusive store for Banarasi weave sarees

Aiming to bring handloom weavers of India closer to millions of customers across the country, India’s largest e-commerce marketplace Flipkart has announced the launch of an exclusive store for Banarasi weave sarees in association with DC handlooms, Ministry of Textiles. This is a joint effort with the ministry to offer Indian weavers the platform to reach out to a larger set of audience.

In September this year, Flipkart tied up with the local Varanasi weavers as a part of the ‘Flipkart Karigaar Ke Dwaar’ initiative. Furthering the aim to enable weavers, this exclusive online Banarasi handloom saree store will house a wide range of weaves from the weavers in Varanasi and other parts of the country.

Priced between Rs 3,999-15,999, this store will focus on creating a national platform for the weavers to showcase their unique craftsmanship. Every saree will come with the handloom trademark tag. Select weaves like Kanchipuram, Chanderi, Pithani and Bandhej will be added to this store too.

Commenting on this milestone, Ankit Nagori, SVP-Marketplace, Flipkart said, “Varanasi is known for its rich cultural heritage and textile industry, making it one of the most sought after places for apparel and textile shopping. Banarasi weaves are famous across the globe – but we think they have a lot of potential to grow their business further in the domestic market. Our handloom saree store will enable artisans and weavers to develop products in tune with the current market demand and reach out to customers across the country. We are confident that weavers will benefit from this initiative as this new model helps them control the price of their products and connect with millions of customers directly.”

Ankit further added, “With our current registered user base of 26 million and a strong supply chain mechanism, we strongly believe that this initiative will offer the local weavers the right platform to expand their business to a national level.”

Speaking on the launch of this store, Tapan Sharma, Deputy Director, Weavers Service Center (WSC), said, “This is an excellent initiative for the local weaver community in India. An initiative like this will instill confidence in them to explore the online marketplace format to expand their business. We are positive that more and more weavers will join the online revolution, providing a new fillip to India’s handloom industries.”

Early this year, Flipkart tied up with Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) and National Council Product Development (NCDPD) to boost manufacturing in India. Flipkart also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Director General – Employment & Training (DGET), National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Ministry of Labour and Employment, Govt of India, to help Indian MSMEs leverage the online marketplace platform to scale their businesses by supplementing their employee requirements and upgrading their skills.