Why only handloom?

To be honest, it's not just about Indian handlooms here at Label Rama, although we are in love with Indian handlooms. It goes much, much deeper.

There was a time when handwoven implied a certain purity and authenticity. This is not longer the case. Today, you can find handloom fabrics that use yarn that has been dyed with harmful chemicals.

So for us, the promise to use only handloom fabric goes much, much deeper.  It's about fabric that is made using ancient techniques, without chemicals and finishers and factories that pollute the earth. 

In fact, at Label Rama, we believe that handloom fabrics are the very soul of sustainable fashion. 

Because these weaving techniques and skills are dying and we made a promise to keep them alive by transforming them into modern and meaningful luxury. 

Because these ancient weaving techniques not just have our intellectual respect, they inherently respect our planet. There was a wisdom in the way that fabrics were made that we are just beginning to understand. The looms are built of wood and metal and powered by human strength. The yarn was spun by hand on a wooden wheel and dyed using natural dyes.

Because once upon a time these ancient techniques created a thriving rural economy and a social enterprise. Wives, husbands, children, brothers, parents - everyone was involved in the making of handwoven fabric. 

Today that level of purity and community is hard to find but at Label Rama, we do our best to find it. Or find the next best thing. If we can't find weavers who use only naturally dyed yarn, we make sure that they are using AZO free dyed yarn. 

We honour the respect these looms and weavers show to our planet in our own studio as well. Even our buttons are made of shell and wood. 

 PS - The coconut trees and all the monsoon greenery are pictured to remind us of what our earth can be like. And besides, we love coconut trees. One of the most ingenious products of nature. Just like handwoven fabric. A truly ingenious product of man.