Traditional Woolen Namda (Felted Fabrics) from Tonk, Rajasthan: A Livelihood Initiative for Rural Women

Abstract

Namda or felt sheets and articles made of felt have a historic association with Tonk in Rajasthan (India). Felting has been practiced here for generations, providing a livelihood for the craftsmen who make hand-made felt and those who develop products from the felt sheets, including floor coverings, mats, and decorative pieces for both domestic and export markets. Felt’s design, finishing, and quality are the key criteria impacting the value of the urban product and the end market. The Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSWRI) in Avikanagar conducted skill development training for rural women with a focus on making handicraft products from felt sheets. The objective was to promote traditional craft as well as empower women through enhancement of their self-reliance, with opportunities for further progression for high-performing trainees. The Indian Institute of Crafts & Design (IICD) in Jaipur collaborated with CSWRI for design intervention and skill enhancement targeting for the urban market. Just as these women were inching toward fully sustainable livelihoods, however, the sudden outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the demand and supply of handicraft products and seriously impacted their ability to work. This paper discusses the collaborative efforts put into building sustainable livelihoods around handicrafts and considers how the Covid-19 pandemic has impaired that work.

Keywords:

• felt
• handicraft
• women
• skill development
• design intervention
• sustainable livelihood

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Vinod Kadam

Dr. Vinod Kadam is a Scientist in the Textile Manufacturing and Textile Chemistry Division of ICAR-Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan, India. He is a recipient of the RMIT International Ph.D. scholarship for his doctoral work in textile engineering. Vinod has published 30 research publications in the textile engineering area, 06 book chapters, and 20 conference papers. He has worked on coarse wool to develop diversified applications, promoting rural artisans to design innovative wool handicrafts. [email protected]; [email protected]

Shalu Rustagi

Dr. Shalu Rustagi is a Professor at the Indian Institute of Crafts & Design, Jaipur, India. She is a textile technologist and has been employed in the textile industry and design education for the last 20 years. She has worked closely with craft artisans across different Indian crafts through workshops, training, projects, and craft documentation. She has made a conscious effort to integrate craft and skills into education to sensitize students to the crafts and prepare them for responsible design intervention and work in crafts. [email protected]; [email protected]

Toolika Gupta

Dr. Toolika Gupta is the Director of the Indian Institute of Crafts and Design, Jaipur, India. She is a researcher and an educator in the field of clothing, textiles, crafts, and design. She has a Ph.D. in History of Arts (Dress and Textiles) from the University of Glasgow, UK; an M.Sc. in Textiles and Clothing from Lady Irwin College, New Delhi, India; and has been associated as a Ph.D. Fellow with the Center for Textile Research, Copenhagen, Denmark. She is also a founding member and Secretary of Textiles and Clothing Research Center (TCRC), New Delhi, India. [email protected]

D. B. Shakyawar

Dr. D. B. Shakyawar is a Principal Scientist in the Textile Manufacturing and Textile Chemistry division of the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan, India. He has completed more than 10 textile research projects, with a valuable and well-recognized contribution to the study of sheep wool, as well as Angora and Pashmina fibers. He has also significantly contributed to the field of natural dyes, including anti-moth and UPF protection characteristics, and was conferred as a prestigious Fellowship of the Institution of Engineers, Kolkata in 2016. Dr. Shakyawar is presently serving as Director of the ICAR-Natural Institute for Fiber & Engineering Technology, Kolkata, India (since September 2020). [email protected]

Ajay Kumar

Dr. Ajay Kumar is a Principal Scientist in the Textile Manufacturing and Textile Chemistry division of the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan, India. He has 20 years of research experience in wool science, working on utilization of coarser wool for quality carpet and felt, as well as wool handicrafts training. [email protected]

N. Shanmugam

Dr. N. Shanmugam is a Principal Scientist in the Textile Manufacturing and Textile Chemistry division of the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan, India. He has more than 20 years of research experience in cotton fiber and 5 years in wool science. He is currently in charge of the textile division at ICAR-CSWRI and is an editorial member of the Indian Journal of Fiber and Textile Research. [email protected]