As Kashmir’s handmade products are showing promising trends in international market and expectations are that the sector is to grow further in coming day, some disturbing news is emerging from the ground suggesting that some unscrupulous elements are out to defame the sector by selling machine-made items as hand-made.
It may be recalled here that Srinagar was officially recognised as a World Craft City by the World Crafts Council in 2024. Srinagar’s crafts continue to flourish and captivate the world with their beauty and craftsmanship and the recognition had come following Srinagar’s recognition as a UNESCO Creative City for Crafts in 2021. The recognition highlights Srinagar’s rich cultural heritage, particularly its traditional crafts like Kashmiri carpets, Pashmina shawls, paper-mache and wood carving. This international recognition has led to increased interest from those interested in exploring and purchasing authentic local crafts and thus enhanced marketability of Srinagar’s crafts globally.
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However, there are some greedy traders who are out to defame the trade by indulging in fake items. Some unscrupulous traders are making use of fake GI labels on machine-made carpets and selling them as hand made. Recently such a case was reported and acting swiftly, the concerned authorities have already sealed the showroom indulging in cheating.
Minister Omar Abdullah today took a serious note of counterfeit machine-made carpets passed off as authentic Kashmiri hand-knotted products and gave instructions to Industries & Commerce department to take strong action against showrooms and retail outlets which are selling machine-made carpets under the label of Kashmir handmade carpets.
It was in this backdrop that Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, during a meeting with a delegation of Carpet Export Promotion Council, Indian Silk Export Promotion Council, Meeras Carpet Weavers Cooperative, Kashmir Carpet Cluster Development Organization &Kashmir Carpet Manufacturers Association, took a serious note of counterfeit machine-made carpets passed off as authentic Kashmiri hand-knotted products and gave instructions to Industries & Commerce department to take strong action against showrooms and retail outlets which are selling machine-made carpets under the label of Kashmir handmade carpets.
The concerned authorities should gear up and frequent inspections of showrooms and shops, dealing in Kashmir’s handicrafts should be held. While on one hand Kashmiri handicrafts are showing a promising trend in international market, the fakes are going to bring a bad name to the trade and the traders. While the government authorities should strengthen the quality check mechanism, those genuinely affiliated with the trade too should keep an eye on their surroundings and help the authorities to identify and isolate the cvheaters.
