NATIONAL HANDLOOM DAY

• Observed on: 7 August every year
• Purpose: To honour India’s handloom weavers, preserve India’s rich textile heritage, and encourage the use of sustainable, handcrafted textiles.
• Inception: Declared in 2015 to mark the launch of the Swadeshi Movement in Calcutta on 7 August 1905, which encouraged Indians to boycott foreign goods and support local hand-weaving industries.
• The 11th National Handloom Day will be celebrated on 7 August 2025 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

 SIGNIFICANCE & ECONOMIC ROLE

• Supports over 30 lakh weavers and allied workers, making it the second-largest rural employment sector after agriculture .
• Handloom textiles account for nearly 22% of all cloth produced in India .
• It helps promote sustainable fashion, supports local livelihoods, and preserves traditional crafts for future generations.