Silk Weaving and Sericulture - Chintamani, Karnataka
• Handloom
The traditional handloom is known to give the best and sophisticated silks when woven. The handloom is classified into four groups: throw-shuttle loom, fly-shuttle loom, frame looms and semi-automatic looms. After warping, the warps are set into the looms, where the fly shuttle starts the process of weaving. This process continues until the design of the saree ends. The artisan then applies Gondhu Pasai, a local gum to give stiffness to the saree. Once the glue dries, the sarees are folded and handed to the distributors.
• Power Loom
A power loom is a mechanized loom with a high rate of performance. With its continuous rotational motion, it gives exception speed and production results. Here unlike handloom, the frames are made up of iron than wood, and the sleys are set to swing to and fro with the help of a lever. While using power loom, the weaver has to fill threads to the shuttle, making it labor-friendly.
