NIFT Mumbai Marks National Handloom Day with Craft and Design Showcase

NIFT Mumbai celebrated the 12th National Handloom Day on August 7, 2026, with a day-long programme highlighting India’s handloom traditions, craft heritage and contemporary design. The event brought together students, faculty, artisans, schoolchildren and textile enthusiasts.

The programme was attended by Dr. Ram Krishna Tripathi, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-I, and Ms. Savitha Suri, textile researcher, curator and author of Handmade Textiles. They were welcomed by Prof. Dr. Ajit Kumar Khare, Campus Director, NIFT Mumbai, along with Mr. P. K. Jha, Joint Director, faculty members and students.

A key attraction was the Handloom Fashion Show, where undergraduate and postgraduate students presented contemporary designs using Indian handloom textiles. The showcase demonstrated how traditional fabrics can be adapted for modern fashion while supporting sustainability and cultural appreciation.

The Handloom Textile Exhibition featured traditional textiles, crafts and student documentation from craft clusters across India. Displays included Paithani, Maheshwari, Chanderi and Kunbi sarees, Bhujodi handloom, Ajrakh, Bandhani, Rogan art, Suf embroidery, Tambat craft, Mata ni Pachedi, Kolhapuri sandals, Warli art, Hupri silver jewellery, Sawantwadi wooden toys and Chitrakathi art.

An exhibition-cum-sale further showcased regional handloom products, including Odisha Tussar silk, Paithani sarees, Punjab khes, Puanchei Mizo shawls, Baluchari sarees, Pochampalli Ikat dhurries, Kheta embroidery, Kutch Dhabla shawls and Bawan Buti sarees.

NIFT Mumbai also organised a Coffee Table Book Competition, encouraging students to document their craft-cluster experiences through research, photography, storytelling and visual communication.

The institute invited school students as part of its outreach programme. Four teachers and 67 Class X students from Atomic Energy Central School No. 3 (AECS-3), Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, and three teachers and 44 students from Classes IX–XII of Empyrean School, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, participated.

The celebrations highlighted NIFT Mumbai’s focus on experiential learning, craft documentation and industry–academia engagement. By connecting students with India’s living craft traditions, the programme reinforced the role of design education in preserving and promoting the country’s textile heritage.