KCCI hails Pashmina lab, modern carpet looms for artisans

Srinagar, Sep 11, KNT: The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has welcomed the inauguration of the Animal Fibre Quality Assurance Laboratory at SKUAST-Kashmir’s Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Shuhama Campus, terming it a landmark intervention for Kashmir’s famed Pashmina sector.

In a statement, KCCI said the newly established laboratory will play a crucial role in safeguarding the purity and authenticity of Pashmina, which has long been regarded as the gold standard of India’s natural fibres. The Chamber stressed that the lab will provide scientific testing and certification, protecting genuine stakeholders and artisans from imitation products while boosting consumer confidence in domestic and international markets.

KCCI also appreciated the distribution of Modified Modern Steel Carpet Looms among artisan clusters in Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam, Kulgam, and Srinagar by the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT). It noted that the upgraded looms are expected to enhance productivity, weaving precision, and working conditions for artisans who have traditionally relied on outdated equipment. Such interventions, the Chamber said, are vital for preserving Kashmiri carpets’ global reputation and for encouraging the younger generation to take up the craft.

The Chamber recalled that IICT had earlier distributed modern looms which significantly improved efficiency, reduced physical strain, and enhanced the quality of finished products. The continuation of such initiatives, it added, reflects a practical and consistent approach to modernizing the handicrafts sector.

KCCI acknowledged Union Textiles Secretary Neelama Shami Rao’s assurance that the Department of Handicrafts and Handloom’s proposal for the procurement of 500 additional looms is under active consideration. While welcoming the move, the Chamber emphasized the urgent need to expand the scale of distribution to cover larger sections of artisan communities across the Valley, thereby improving incomes and securing the future of the heritage craft.

The Chamber also expressed appreciation for the proactive efforts of Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Vikramjit Singh; Director, Handicrafts and Handloom Kashmir, Mussrat Islam; and Director, IICT, Zubair Ahmad. Their work, it said, demonstrates a genuine commitment to strengthening Kashmir’s artisan-based economy and making traditional crafts competitive in a changing market.

Reiterating its role as a stakeholder in the handicrafts sector, KCCI expressed hope that these initiatives would be supported with sustained institutional measures such as research and development, artisan welfare schemes, skill development programmes, and international market linkages. [KNT]