How Tamil Nadu’s handwoven Bhavani carpets made their debut at London Fashion Week

Bhavani Jamakkalam, a handwoven cotton carpet and blanket from Bhavani, is known for its traditional craftsmanship, thick, durable weave, and multi-coloured, striped designs. Though the craft earned a Geographical Indication (GI) tag nearly two decades ago, over time, a lack of innovation and market support forced many weavers to abandon their looms.

Timeless design and patterns

During her research on the carpet, Supraja discovered that Bhavani once had around 5,000 handlooms, but only about one-fifth remain in operation today. “It used to be a must-have in homes across in Tamil Nadu to spread in the hall to welcome guests, or to provide seating during feasts and other auspicious gatherings,” she said. “With furniture taking over our living spaces and floor seating disappearing, the demand for the Jamakkalam also faded,” she added.

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When The Federal asked her how it all came together, the designer said: “Though I had introduced my J Pouch product a year ago, when I got the call from the London Fashion Week organisers for a slot, I decided to focus on the exhibition and presentation at the show. I had no second thoughts. While I was going through the details of the show, the image of me taking Sakthivel ayya along with his raattai appeared in my mind. Probably you can call it a manifestation,” said Supraja.

She explained that Bhavani Jamakkalam had all the hallmarks of a luxury product. “Even without its name printed on it, by the look of it, you can easily tell that the carpet is from Bhavani. It is known for its vibrant colours, sturdiness, and high quality. The craft is becoming increasingly rare. The design and patterns are timeless, and the carpet as a product requires intensive craftsmanship. With all these characteristics, I transformed the carpet into luxury bags, since the usage of carpets is very limited now,” Supraja told The Federal.

A promising start

The video of the audience’s applause, the standing ovation for the product, and the follow-up meetings at London Fashion Week (LFW) thrilled 70-year-old Sakthivel, a traditional weaver from three generations of craftsmen. “When I saw people talking about my product at the show and appreciating my craft, I was happy,” he said. “There were days when our Bhavani post office would be busy sending parcels to other states. I hope that happens again someday soon,” he added.

Sakthivel had never travelled abroad before. To highlight the importance of the craft and the weaver community, Supraja took the initiative to arrange his passport and other travel documents for the trip. “This was my first foreign journey, and my carpet did the magic,” Sakthivel said with a smile.

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In the aftermath of LFW, many weavers like Sakthivel expressed hope that traditional Bhavani carpets would find renewed demand in foreign countries. Officials at the Tamil Nadu Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Society (Co-optex) said that, in recognition of the weavers’ intricate work, the government had reserved the Bhavani carpet exclusively for handloom production.

P. Sanjay Gandhi, an intellectual property attorney who specialises in GI registrations, told The Federal that he was proud to see the product he helped secure a Geographical Indication tag two decades ago finally receive global limelight.

“Traditional artisans of Bhavani put their blood and sweat into every design. The global recognition for this craft, paired with thoughtful innovation, is a promising start. It would be a great step if the government and private firms promoted the product as a premium gift item, which could help scores of weavers sustain their livelihoods,” Gandhi said.

Re-anchoring Bhavani Jamakkalam’s identity

Bhavani Jamakkalam traces its origins to the 19th century when a weaving community called the Jangamars, settled along the banks of the Cauvery in what is now Erode district, began producing thick, coarse-thread blankets and carpets known today as Jamakkalams. These early Jamakkalams were woven on pit looms using durable cotton yarns; their hallmark stripes and bold cross-border colour bands made them instantly recognisable.

Over time, softer varieties using finer or blended yarns (including art-silk) were introduced, enabling more decorative borders, subtler textures, and newer product forms beyond blankets and floor carpets. Despite this innovation, the craft has faced serious challenges: competition from power-loom imitations, declining wages for weavers, young people moving away from the craft, and legal enforcement of the handloom-only requirement have all threatened its survival.

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Today, while only a fraction of the original handlooms remain active, there is growing momentum to revive Bhavani Jamakkalam. Government bodies, cooperatives (such as Co-optex), and designers are experimenting with new colours, blended yarns, and product formats — bags, wall hangings, decor pieces — and pushing for stricter protection of GI status and handloom privileges.

The craft still carries in its weave the stories of generations: of families who spent decades bending over looms; of colours dyed by natural or locally dyed yarns; of gatherings, of rituals, of floors spread out to welcome guests. Those stories are now few and far between, but they are not yet lost. By re-anchoring Bhavani Jamakkalam’s identity at London Fashion Week, Supraja may have set the stage for the storied carpet to reclaim its past glory, and find its way forward into the world of contemporary design.