Now, India's first-ever khadi fabric footwear from KVIC

22 Oct '20

3 min read

Pic: PIB / Ministry of MSME

India’s first-ever high-quality khadi fabric footwear, designed by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), were launched yesterday by Union MSME minister Nitin Gadkari. The footwear made of khadi fabric like silk, cotton and wool brings the fineness of handcrafted Khadi fabric in the footwear. They were also launched online on KVIC's e-portal.

Unique products like the khadi footwear have high potential of capturing the international market, said Gadkari while launching the product through video conference. He said that khadi footwear would create additional employment and higher income for artisans.

“Khadi footwear is a unique product. International quality and use of fine fabric like patola silk, banarasi silk, cotton and denim would attract the youngsters who can purchase it online. These footwear are cost-effective,” Gadkari said while also urging the KVIC to develop alternatives to leather accessories like ladies’ handbags, purses and wallet in handcrafted khadi fabric that has a huge potential in foreign markets. “By developing and marketing such products overseas, Khadi India can capture a market worth ₹5,000 crore,” the MSME minister said.

Khadi fabric footwear is not only environment-friendly and skin-friendly, but it reflects the hard work of khadi artisans that has been put in to make fabric for these footwear said minister of state for MSME Pratap Chandra Sarangi. “I congratulate KVIC for developing khadi fabric footwear according to the global taste. I am sure by occupying a major share in the footwear industry, khadi fabric footwear will help in reviving the country’s economy,” Sarangi said.

Initially, the footwear have been launched in 15 designs for ladies and 10 designs for men. Exquisite khadi products like patola silk of Gujarat, banarasi silk, madhubani-printed silk of Bihar, khadi denim, tussar silk, matka-katia silk, a variety of cotton fabric, tweed wool and khadi poly vastra have been used to make the footwear unique and trendy.

Venturing into new segments, tapping new markets and diversifying the product range, as envisaged by the Prime Minister, have been the mantra for khadi’s stupendous success in the last six years, said KVIC chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena.

“The idea behind launching khadi fabric footwear was to tap the international market where a large section of international consumers are increasingly going vegan and hence, khadi will become a preferred choice of this segment. Khadi fabric footwear is a small step for people, but it will be a giant leap for our khadi artisans. Using fine fabric like cotton, silk and wool in footwear will lead to higher production of fabric by artisans as well as increase in its consumption. This will ultimately create additional employment and higher income for khadi artisans,” Saxena said.

The size of the Indian footwear industry is approx ₹50,000 crore which includes exports worth nearly ₹18,000 crore. KVIC's initial target is to capture at least 2 per cent share of the industry.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RKS)

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