National Handloom Day: The dhoti gets a Santhali spin
Ramraj Cotton has launched 'Panchaa,' a limited-edition collection of dhotis featuring traditional Santhali tribal weaves from Odisha. This initiative, supported by the Mauna Dhwani foundation, aims to revive a near-extinct weaving technique while providing sustainable livelihoods for over 800 women weavers.
Why it matters
The project represents a significant cross-cultural collaboration that preserves indigenous textile heritage by adapting traditional tribal craftsmanship for contemporary mainstream fashion markets.
Stripes of black, orange and red. Tiny black fish swimming in threes. Checkered blues. Imagine all of this on dhotis, the ubiquitous South Indian garment more commonly associated with crisp white fabric, edged in solid colours or gold.
While it traditionally features in saris woven by the Santhal tribal community, , the Santhali weave now finds a place on the dhoti through Panchaa, an initiative by Ramraj Cotton. This limited-edition launch, features 11 different designs on eight-yard dhotis handwoven in cotton with an off-white base and azo-free dyes.
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