Anuprerna launches e-commerce platform, eyes international handloom trade

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Jun 9, 2020

Handloom business Anuprerna has launched an e-commerce platform to facilitate international business and aims to increase wages for its weavers in East India through trade with countries including the UK and Japan.

After launching a website a year ago, Anuprerna has now launched an e-commerce platform after taking time during lockdown to invest in its online business, the brand’s founder Amit Singha told FashionNetwork.com in an exclusive communication. Singha plans to focus on business to business sales at present and target international markets including the US, UK, Japan, and Europe. Business to customer commerce is also possible on the new e-commerce store and available products include handloom textiles and craft products.
 
“Now with our newly launched online ecommerce platform, we already share a plethora of crafts and designs that are indigenous to East India and we also plan to bring new design concepts on these traditional textiles by collaborating with designers across different continents merging the designer’s cultural exposure with East India's traditional textiles,” Singha told FashionNetwork.com.

“As a brand, We strive to create a recognition for the beautiful handwoven textiles of East India, to bestow value onto the ordinary lives of these artisans with extraordinary skills,” said Singha. “We believe, once the value is recognised globally, it should translate into higher wages for weavers.”

The ongoing coronavirus crisis has affected the livelihoods of weavers across India, said Singha. “Due to Covid19 The market and industry have completely come to a halt. The ripple has impacted from end consumer to manufacturers and in our cases, our artisans. Moreover, there's so much uncertainty around the pandemic, we are unable to plan anything in the near future in a way to commit to  our weavers.” 
 
“Rightly so, our handloom artisans are seriously worried for their life during and post lockdown,” said Singha. “Most of these households rely on daily wages from daily weaving which are at complete halt.” The brand ran a number of campaigns to support its artisans. 
 
“We believe through this platform, we would be able to present the story of our products, crafts, artisans and the process in a transparent manner,” said Singha. “And that would enable us to connect with relevant people looking for sustainable ethical alternatives to their textile, fashion needs.”