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LOOMS OF LADAKH

LOOMS OF LADAKH

July 22, 2023
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Looms of Ladakh is a rural women's cooperative movement, a farm-to-fashion initiative committed to recognising the pashmina, yak, sheep, and Bactrian camel wool rearing communities. Encouraging rural empowerment by providing sustainable employment in remote villages building the textile industry of Ladakh for future generations.



Started in 2013 by Abhilasha Bahuguna, Looms of Ladakh was set-up to revive the Pashmina artisans in Kashmir and preserve their knowledge and skills. Since then, they have built a luxury brand, adding value to pashmina fibre and other indigenous wool like yak and sheep wool. Their production takes place in twenty two decentralised villages in Leh and Kargil districts with the distance between villages and Leh town being 10 to 250 kms at an altitude of 9000-17000 feet. Their handmade products include handknits - sweaters, socks, caps and gloves along with wovens like shawls, stoles and scarves with Ladakh Pashmina and Wool.



Yarn forms the core of all production work at Looms of Ladakh, priding itself on offering 100% pure Pashmina and other wool products, it’s working on meticulously grading handspinners for standardising Pashmina yarn spinning. Meanwhile, both handspun and machine spun yarn are being explored for spinning other types of wool. They have studied the pashmina goat, the sheep and yak in the herd of the Changthang shepherds and its speculated negative impact on the grazing pastures as witnessed in Central Asia. They have also observed that the pashmina trade in Ladakh might eventually be concentrated in the hands of a few. Hence, they have been finding an intersection between nature, culture, and economy and to set industry standards.



Members of the cooperative from the Eastern Ladakh centers have innovated traditional backstrap looms to weave rugs and home furnishing products. What has remained neglected in Ladakh is the need to improve the quality of sheep wool fibre that is used for making these traditional rugs and carpets, for which Looms of Ladakh have been investing in finding sustainable solutions so the fibre is not lost.

They are currently working on Infrastructure development and Product Development simultaneously with Capacity building of first generation artisans.

Looms of Ladakh were part of the Selvedge issue 113 competitions, providing a hand-spun, hand-knit Pashmina sweater.

Images and text © Looms of Ladakh

Find out more about:
www.loomsofladakh.in
@loomsofladakh
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