The coming week will witness a number of organisations, sitting together with weavers, mostly women, who weave Panetar and Gharchola sarees. This planned awareness program is going to be organized at Khambhat, Gujarat.
This program is a part of the growing trend, across the world, wherein communities are applying for UN-recognised patents, which is now seen as a powerful tool for marketing, even in the global markets.
Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association (ATIRA), Indian Merchants Chamber (IMC) from Mumbai, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) India and Khambat Weaver's Association from Khambat will be partaking in the program.
The meeting to be conducted next week will educate the women weavers on how they and their goods can achieve the fame that, Darjeeling Tea or Kanchipuram Silk have attained over the years and how these women weavers can apply for and procure Geographical Indication (GI).
A GI is a community-based patent, which is identified by the World Trade Organisation. This promises the weavers, artisans and craftsmen Intellectual Property Rights on their goods. Communities can also declare their compensation if their brand name is violated or replicated. The offender will then be responsible to a non-bailable prison term for three years.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk - India