Women workers engaged in the embroidery of the popular Kuthampully saris are facing job loss as production has been slashed after the recent floods. The number of working days in embroidery units has come down to one-third. Workers here print exquisite designs of peacocks, peacock feathers and gods on the traditional wear synonymous with the Kuthampully village in Thiruvilwamala, Thrissur district.
Around 500 workers have been engaged in printing works at Thiruvilwamala, Pazhayannur panchayat and the villages on the border areas of Palakkad district. Printing gave the women workers a steady source of income, which has been stalled now. The situation has forced many women to leave the field altogether. Some printing units have given one-month’s forced leave to their workers.
“Earlier, I used to employ 24 workers for printing; but now eight persons, in rotation, carry out the job for two days. If I resort to retrenchment, 16 women will lose their jobs,” said V Manikandan, who takes up contracts for printing works.
Production had to be scaled down as a large stock of saris is still remaining with traders due to little sales during the festive Onam season, which corresponded to the recent calamity that struck Kerala.
Another challenge faced by the sector is that there is no upcoming festive season which could boost the demand for Kuthampully saris. Currently, the weavers are producing plain saris, i.e. those without designs now and printing is rarely done on them.
The women engaged in supplementary tasks associated with sari production also have little work now. Those stitching the border of saris get fewer saris to work on now. Many of these women are housewives looking for an extra income, however small. Saris are delivered to them at their houses for stitching the border and on completing the work in the evening, they are paid the wages at the rate of Rs 35 per sari. There were housewives who earned even Rs 175 per day. Around 300 women are in a tight spot as this means of income is drying up.
Even before the crisis struck the sector recently, weavers are aggrieved over poor pay. All these factors have together led to stagnation in the sector, it is pointed out.
Kuthampully, which is 50 km from Thrissur town, is renowned for traditional handloom industry. Its Kasavu clothing is much sough-after by Keralites. Apart from sari, dhoti, set mundu and veshti are also produced here.
