Local woollen industry looking forward to a promising season

Amritsar, November 28

Over Rs 300 crore indigenous woollen industry manufacturing tweed, blazers and blanket is looking forward to a promising season with the intensification of winter. There are nearly 50 units manufacturing these winter apparels by employing thousands of artisans.

According to Sudarshan Kumar Wadhwa, one of the oldest manufacturers in the city, a good demand was generated for these kind of fabrics from across the country. He said, “Nearly 40 per cent of the entire 60 lakh metre tweed manufactured in a year in the city meets the demand of people living in the Kashmir valley. Made from tweed, phiran, a loose upper garment, is worn by men, women, children and elderly people during harsh winter in the valley. It is stitched from locally spun tweed. It is also used in stitching coats, purses, bags, beach bags and other things.” Similarly, the fabric is equally popular among natives of Himachal Pradesh in making jackets and caps.

Blazer makes it a part of dress in educational institutions, investiture ceremonies of sports persons and reputed organisations like defence services. Bipin Wadhwa, another manufacturer, said locally manufactured blazer was sold in all those states where winter chill is witnessed.

The holy city manufactures over 65 lakh metre blanket, said Wadhwa. Blanket is available in three kinds, including shoddy and mink. Shoddy is the only blanket which is made from woollens and the rest from synthetic. A shoddy blanket is available between Rs 200 to Rs 800 and synthetic between Rs 300 to Rs 2,000.

Barring a couple of mega units, most of the units here are in the unorganised sector.