The loin loom of north-eastern India
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In brief
The Times of India, Nov 01 2015
Shobita Dhar
The ancient loin loom of the northeast, unknown to most of India, is drawing top UK and US brands into its fold
Woven on a loin or back-strap loom -a domestic fixture for a major ity of tribes -the northeast's dis tinctive red or striped fabric has, for centuries, been fashioned into sarongs and shawls. Until, that is, young Arunachali designer Yana Ngoba took it global with a collection of dresses, gowns and jackets (seen in the photo) showcased at the London Fashion Week in September. The clothes were an instant hit with buyers from the UK and Nigeria who were surprised to know that there was more to Indian fashion than the sari and lehenga. The loin loom -about as wide as a desktop keyboard -is attached to the body of the weaver with a back strap (hence the name). The weaver, mostly female, sits on the floor, legs stretched and feet propped against a block of stone or wood. The back strap creates resistance which enables the weaver to tighten and loosen the yarn as required.It's a slow and tedious way of weaving and one cannot weave long at one go. “Weaving one line of motifs can take up to three days,“ says Ngoba, who has two to three weavers working simultaneously on a single piece to speed up production. Since the width of the fabric is so narrow, two to three lengths are stitched together to make tops, skirts, cushion covers, bags, etc. The tight weave of the loom makes the fabric ideal for winter wear.
The softness of the fabric is another feature that makes it desirable. Staff at Delhi's Nagaland emporium, that is well-stocked with bags, shawls, waistcoats and skirts made on the loom (with an actual loom on display) assure this reporter that the fabric only gets softer with every wash and the natural vegetable dyes don't bleed. Jesmina Zeliang, who has been selling loin loom furnishing under the brand Heirloom Naga for around two decades, says Westerners value this art more and are willing to pay extra for it. She has been supplying to international brands like Crate & Barrel, Roost and Anthropologie. “ A single cushion cover sells for $150,“ says Zeliang. In India, she sells her products on Jaypore.com, an e-retailer specializing in handlooms.
Kos Zhasa, a NIFT graduate who uses loin loom fabric, feels the market for such products in India hasn't picked up yet because of slow production.To speed up things, she designs clothes made with textile woven on the swifter shuttle loom and uses loin loom fabric as patchwork or borders. “I've showcased at Dastkar and Dilli Haat and have al ways been well received,“ says Zhasa, who feels the government should try to bring back weavers to the loin loom. Ngoba explains that traditional loin loom weavers are moving towards other jobs that offer better pay . “There was a time when every woman in Arunachal, Nagaland and other northeastern states knew how to work it. But with fast fashion cycles, weavers are abandoning the loin loom,“ says Ngoba. Manipuri designer Sailex Ngairangbam, who has dressed stars like Sonam Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, feels the cultural significance of the fabric does not allow him to tailor it. “I don't feel right cutting it. Loin loom fabric is worn on special occasions like the birth of a child or on a wedding day . It's special,“ says Sailex, letting on that he is developing a technique that will overcome the shortcomings of the loin loom and make it conducive for faster fashion cycles.
