The Women keeping Northeast India’s Weaving Traditions alive
From traditional attire to modern clothing, women in Northeast India have preserved the weaving skills inherited from their ancestors, while simultaneously adapting their craft to align with their changing lifestyles and livelihoods.
In many households across Northeast India, weaving is more than just a way to make clothes. It is a skill passed down from mothers to daughters, a connection to cultural identity, and a means of earning a living. The precious textiles found here, along with their colors, patterns, and weaving techniques, tell the stories of those who created them. Behind these fabrics are women who have firmly held onto their traditional weaving practices while adapting to a constantly changing world.
In this region, there are eight states, and through their weaving, they display their various cultural identities and characteristics. Assam is known for its silk and mekhela chador, Manipur for its phanek and moirang phee, while Mizoram is distinguished by its textiles, patterns, and the beautiful way they are put together. In Nagaland, black cloths and various other textiles tell the history and stories of different tribes. Every piece of cloth represents different cultural traits, skills, and knowledge.
For many generations, women have played an important role in keeping these practices alive. Many learned to sew by watching their mothers and grandmothers, gradually developing the patience and precision needed to create beautiful things. Most of this knowledge has been passed down through practice and learning rather than being written down. Learning to sew is not just about knowing how to weave threads together, but also about understanding the meaning and cultural significance associated with specific patterns.
The way things are made does not necessarily have to be kept exactly as it was in the past. As customers become increasingly interested in various types of textiles, female tailors are finding ways to adapt traditional skills to fit modern fashion. Hand-woven fabrics are being widely used in modern clothing, such as jackets, dresses, skirts, and bags. Designers are able to incorporate traditional patterns into new modern styles, which can attract even those who do not usually wear traditional clothing to the craft of tailoring. Social media and online shops have also enabled skilled makers and small businesses to showcase their products beyond their own communities.
However, this transformation raises some important questions. How can the use of traditional tools be changed without losing the character and values of the culture? Who will decide how specific community motifs should be used? And, as embroidery work becomes popular, do the women who create it receive their fair share of its value? Embroidery is hard work. Making thread, preparing the sewing machine, choosing colors, and creating intricate items require a lot of time and skill. Making traditional textiles popular is only one part of the initiative; it is equally important to take steps to ensure that the creators can earn a living from it.
For many women, tailoring has greatly advanced their family income and self-sufficiency. The Fourth All-India Handloom Census, conducted in 2019–20, recorded approximately 3.522 million people working in the handloom and allied sectors across the country. Of these, about 2.546 million were women, which accounts for more than 72 percent of the total workforce. While these statistics cover the whole of India, they demonstrate the significant contribution of women in the handloom sector. However, utilizing traditional skills to create a stable livelihood is often not easy. In addition to having to compete with the high cost of raw materials and cheaper machine-made textiles, the difficulty in finding wider markets can impact the earnings of skilled weavers. Even if a piece of cloth is prominent at a fashion exhibition or online, such recognition does not necessarily translate into better wages for the skilled artisans who made it.
Collaborations between cooperatives, artisan-led businesses, and designers can connect weavers with new retailers. However, such partnerships must ensure that artisans retain agency over pricing, design, and how their knowledge and culture are represented.
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