CHENNAI, INDIA, February 16, 2003: A glut of unsold inexpensive handloom saris designed for the poor have become an overnight favorite of college students in Tamil Nadu. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was faced with the task of selling 4.5 million saris after the “Free Sari – Dhoti” distribution plan was scrapped. Following this, the handloom businesses were plunged into an unprecedented crisis with more than 21,000 weavers facing unemployment. However, university women decided to address themselves to the cause of the weavers and started wearing the saris, and the entire stock was sold out in two months. Recently a women’s college came out with the plan of celebrating “Handloom Day” by wearing the saris. The entire women staff at the State Secretariat wore them on January 30, and later all women MLAs were seen in handloom saris in the State Assembly. Buoyed by the overwhelming response, Co-optex, in a bid to retain the market, has introduced one million saris in new designs.
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