Looms that had fallen silent are singing again. Bustling sheds that had gone still are coming back to life again. A handloom tradition that was vanishing in the search of livelihood is thriving again. At the heart of this resurgence in Samudragarh, a handloom cluster in West Bengal, is the first all-women Weavershala by Titan Company.

Taneira’s Weavershala initiative began in 2022 as an effort to modernise traditional workspaces and stabilise livelihoods across India’s handloom clusters. Samudragarh, renowned for its Tangail sarees, had begun to decline with the rise of power looms. Orders had dried up, debt had piled up and weavers were forced to give up their craft and seek alternate livelihoods. Taneira entered the cluster with a commitment to revive not just a weaving tradition but also the artisan community. Engaging with skilled women weavers, they established the first all-women Weavershala.

They replaced the traditional heavy jacquards with lightweight jacquards — helping the weavers create complex designs efficiently — and switched from pit looms to ergonomically designed frame looms. All of which enhanced not just the productivity and earnings of the weavers but also their comfort.

Today, this Weavershala is home to 10 women weavers, who primarily produce cotton extra-weft sarees that are affordable and cater to strong market demand. It is Taneira’s first step in a long-term commitment towards reviving the weaving heritage of Samudragarh.