A GARMENT CAN BE GREATLY ACCENTUATED WITH THE USE OF HANDMADE LACES. APPAREL BRINGS TO THE FORE THE HUBS OF THESE HANDMADE LACES

Handmade laces play an Important part in accentuating a garment. Exuding a vintage, dainty aura, they are especially preferred in United States, Europe, Australia, Japan and parts of South America. Laces have had an incomparable charm, especially the handmade ones, which like hand embroidery can be traced to time immemorial. India has had a history of handmade and machine made laces too, both of which find their way to the domestic market as well as export. Handmade laces are exported per se for, garments especially bridal wear, with handmade veils and flowing trellises. They are increasingly being used in garments such as tops, kurtis and kurtas where it is not uncommon to see motifed patches akin to embroidery done using handmade laces.

Handmade laces can be a thicker crochet or very fine bobbin laces made using pillow lace technique. The pillow lace technique is said to have been introduced in Europe by missionary nuns. It is a thriving industry today with some of the laces being exported to Belgium. One can come across this type of lace making in coastal towns of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Pondicherry. Crochet is more popular in Andhra Pradesh and towns of UP. It is possible to come across crochet from all over the country though more as a domestic craft or commercial sale in haats and the local markets.

THE HUBs... THE COASTAL BELT OF KERALA AND TAMIL NADU

The areas of Kochi, Parasala, Trivandrum, Kanyakumari and Naagarkoil belt produce some of the finest laces that are comparable to the ones produced in Belgium. The history of fine embroidery and lace making can be traced to the Belgian nuns, who settled in Belgium in 18th century and taught their craft to the women. Most of the production of handmade laces today is done by women organized into self help groups (SHGs).

One of them is SEDA (Socio Economic Development Association) based out of Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. Their work is intricate and so fine that it matches the kind done in Europe and exported to Mecca of lace making, Belgium. As J Asir Packia Singh, Director SEDA says, “The work started as a means of providing livelihood to the local women of villages. Lace making was already prevalent in the area.”

Most of the organisations provide a year-long training to the local women for lace making. The organisations have a repertoire of 100- 200 designs and can manufacturer or do a permutation combination with them. Buyers provide their designs on paper, which are then worked out and the price decided accordingly. Singh talks of Belgian buyers who not only provide her own design but also the material. The lace is usually made of Coats thread. With so many women involved in production, quantity is not a problem. Exclusively design can be ordered on the condition that they will not be shared with anyone.

The cost of the lace varies and depends on the intricacy of the work and the organisation from where it is sourced. Doilies cost between Rs. 30 and Rs.1300. The design is drawn on a paper and has holes in it through which the design is pricked with bobbins on a pillow. The process is easy. The designs are fine and one marvels at the hands that make them. The laces are so fine that it is difficult to believe that they are handmade. They are priced from Rs. 15 onwards.

NARSAPUR, PALAKOL IN THE WEST GODAVARI DISTRICT AND RAZOLE TALUKA IN THE EAST GODAVARI DISTRICT (ANDHRA PRADESH)

Made by women from their homes, a predominantly rural craft, Andhra Pradesh is a huge sourcing ground for handmade laces. The craft that originally began as a means to provide employment is a major export earner today. The magic of laces is bought out by the simplest of implements – the humble hooked needle and the fine twisted mercerized cotton yarn.

The sensibility and the aesthetic of the products speak volumes about the hand that fashion them out. Suresh K Danam Bondapalli of Girija Lace Industries says, “The products include a huge variety with laces for bridal wear being the most in demand over the years Whole lace products are manufactured as also laces to beautify the garments”.

Hundreds of designs abound in laces. The biggest advantage of hand crocheted lace is that the designs can be changed easily as also the usage. They are flexible and can be adapted. So they can be seamlessly attached to garment. The laces are available in both - one of a kind, the exclusively designed limited editions and the ones for mass market.

Most of the laces come in pure white or natural shades. The designs include the one available with exporters and manufacturer as well customised designs. Some of the well known names in the trade today are Sri Devi Exports, P Venkanna & Co. Pvt. Ltd. and The Godavari Delta Women Lace Artisians Cooperative, a co-operative unit and part of the Fair Trade Federation.

GOA

The culture of lace was introduced from Europe and the craft is fine and painstaking. For both crochet and pin lace, the technique is similar to the one followed in Kanyakumari. Self-help centres in villages of St. Cruz, Navelim and Shiroda pursue it actively. Most women groups also take orders for bulk supplies.

GURGAON, FARIDABAD, GHAZIABAD AND RAMPUR

Most of the commercial production of crochet happened due to its requirement in the export market. With eyelet embroidery catching on, similar looking handmade crochet product evolved. Though there is plenty of production happening in both crochet fabrics and garments, the production is being done from way off places from Meerut and Ludhiana to Gurgaon.

What is startling though is the huge difference in pricing, from Rs 2 to Rs 10 for the same design, quality and size of crichets. In Rampur the crochet is combined with traditional patti ka kaam. Shaheen Shabbir, Secretary, Jagirti, Mahila Upbhokta Sahkari Samiti Ltd., Rampur says, “Crochet works combined with patti ka kaam sell well as they look different. The work is carried out by women from their homes in their spare time. Earlier they used to make beedi’s but this work boosts their self – esteem and they are not ashamed of it. Even schoolgirls work after returning from school.”