What is khadi cloth?
Khadi is India’s handspun yarn where it is woven on wooden looms, its perfection depending on the skill of the weaver. Cotton, silk and wool are spun and drawn from a spinning wheel, producing a fabric often with slubs, only adding to its simplicity and grace.
The production of khadi is overseen by government enterprises which control the khadi and village industries in India. There are several thousand outposts contributing to its renewed success, but it still needs better management and alignment.
Khadi, is also being woven in a semi-mechanised process, as its popularity grows and demand is not being met. Unlike, the indigenous wooden loom the other bypasses the entire meaning of the engagement of mind, body and hand and instead supports the idle mind, furthering it from the original meaning of the "amber charkha", a tool that facilitates the meditative and grounding process of it's weaver.
Handwoven cloth has been associated with India’s fight for freedom against British colonialism, and its greatest exponent was Mahatma Gandhi, one of the greatest spirits of the 20th century. Weaving and spinning by hand was a symbol of independence and self reliance from British rule, whose machine made textiles forged out of the industrial revolution, were overtaking simple hand made yarns made by Indians.
Gandhiji, quietly spinning yarn by hand on an “ amber charkha” or a spinning wheel in a concentrated and repetitive motion instilled a process, giving a contemplative and meditative aspect that resonated emotionally, bonding millions of Indians.
Today it has a different meaning, where sustainability is at the forefront of slow fashion gradually shadowing destructive consumption and has become the choice of many wearers who subscribe to this more organic, less blatant philosophy that represents the ideology of freedom from dependance on materialism having cultural, social and economic connotations.
To shop some of our khadi pieces, visit our apparel section here.