Woollen shawl and cap handloom workshop in Rampur

This workshop weaves woollen shawls, stoles, mufflers and the soft Rampur chaddar on hand looms, and stitches Himachali caps from the same cloth. It employs local weavers in one shed and also gives yarn to weavers who work from home.

Rampur Bushahr, on the Sutlej in Shimla district, once had a large community of shawl weavers, and the International Lavi Fair held there each November still draws traders selling wool and woollens. NABARD's 2023-24 credit plan for Shimla says handloom weavers and artisans lack adequate bank credit and asks banks to lend to their self-help groups. Shimla's many visitors buy woollens, but much of what they buy is made elsewhere, so a clearly local, well-finished shawl can stand out.

You need looms, a stock of good wool yarn, a washing and pressing setup, and at least one master weaver who knows the traditional patterns. Register the unit with the district industries centre, which can also help you get stalls at government craft fairs. The hard part is selling: machine-made shawls from the plains undercut handloom on price, so your labels must say honestly what is hand-woven and where.

Sell at the Lavi fair, through hotel shops and stores on the Mall Road and in Lakkar Bazaar, at craft exhibitions in Delhi and Chandigarh, and online.