Click to play videoChennai: Ever wondered what it would feel like to wear a banana? Well, here’s your chance!
Sekhar, a weaver in Anakaputhur, a suburb of Chennai makes cloth from banana fibre.
He first hit upon the idea about 10 years ago. After a series of trials and errors, he finally perfected the art of pulling fine yarn out of the tough banana stem. And now he makes clothes out of them.
“It's just as good as cotton. It's also eco-friendly and the raw material is available in plenty. In fact I get the banana plants from functions, where they throw away the plants once they're done,” he says.
Sekhar is part of a self-help group that makes cotton sarees and jute bags.
They take their wares all over the country and sell them at exhibitions.
The profit is good, but to keep the money flowing, they need to stay one step ahead of the rest. And for this, they want the government's help.
“We would like to go to the Philippines and see how they're manufacturing this banana fibre commercially. We want to learn from them as we're still grappling with some research and development problems,” says Sekhar.
Technology gives powerlooms a constant boost. And for traditional weavers like Sekhar, constant innovation is the only way to survive.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.