"The Indian handloom textile industry has a very rich heritage dating back many centuries. Today, the handloom textile industry plays an important role in many communities, providing employment and preserving cultural heritage. However, with the introduction of mechanised textile manufacturing during the British era, this once revered industry has been facing significant challenges. Some prominent ones are competition from synthetic fibres, limitations of traditional fibres, lack of investment, large unorganised markets with dependency on middlemen, limited access to domestic and international markets for selling, and labour issues.

To preserve this precious craft, Birla Cellulose, in association with regional partners, is driving awareness about using more natural, sustainable & affordable fibre alternatives such as Viscose, Modal, and Excel (Lyocell). Birla Cellulose has been continuously engaged in developing new yarn blends & fabrics aimed at offering a better product versus traditional fibre-based applications. Its viscose-based products are widely recognised for their lightweight, breathability, fluidity and exquisite drapes. Its modal-based products are characterized by lustrous shine, brilliant colour, and luxuriously soft feel reminiscent of silk.

Birla Cellulose works extensively with the textile value chain to integrate the adoption of alternative fibres. The company helps commercial bulk fabric manufacturers develop new bases for printed & woven fabrics as per emerging consumer needs. A robust supply chain also ensures timely and consistent delivery of quality yarn, helping production efficiency & offering stability from extreme price fluctuations. The partners are also trained on new market trends, and technical issues and encouraged to develop newer products & blends. Most importantly, Birla Cellulose strives to create an open market for the partners to popularise the craft and for the partners to realise a fair value. These initiatives would not only help revive this industry but also assist with its expansion leading to the realisation of the Make in India vision for the handloom sector. To date, Birla Cellulose has trained 1500 artists, across 7 states and supplies about 5.5 lakhs of yarn annually"