Srinagar: In a significant move to strengthen quality assurance and global credibility of Kashmir’s traditional crafts, the Directorate of Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir, has procured a high-end Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) for the Pashmina Testing and Quality Certification Centre (PTQCC).
The initiative aims to elevate fibre analysis to international standards, particularly for Geographical Indication (GI) testing and certification of Pashmina and other handwoven products.
In addition to the SEM, the department has also procured three High-Resolution Digital Microscopes for PTQCC, the Carpet Laboratory at the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT), and the newly established Quality Control Laboratory. These additions are expected to significantly enhance testing capacity, reduce waiting time, and address long-pending demands of GI-authorised users, traders, and artisans.
According to an official spokesperson, the introduction of SEM-based testing will enable precise fibre analysis, allowing accurate differentiation between genuine Pashmina and other fibres. The move is expected to curb the circulation of counterfeit products and protect the authenticity of Kashmir’s handmade textiles.
“This advancement will safeguard pure Pashmina products and protect artisans and traders from misrepresentation and cheap imitations marketed as genuine Kashmiri handmade goods,” the spokesperson said, while expressing gratitude to the Ministry of Textiles for its continued support in strengthening laboratory infrastructure.
The SEM has been procured under the ‘Technology Support’ component of the National Handicrafts Development Programme of the Ministry of Textiles. Besides fibre testing, the equipment will also enable analysis of a wide range of organic and inorganic materials.
Officials added that the installation of High-Resolution Digital Microscopes across PTQCC, IICT, and other quality control labs will improve testing throughput and reduce turnaround time—an important requirement for GI-authorised users and the artisan community.
At present, Kashmir has 15 GI-registered crafts, including Pashmina, Kani shawls, hand-knotted carpets, tweed, Sozni embroidery, chain stitch, Wagguv, Gabba, and Namda, along with non-textile crafts such as walnut wood carving and papier mâché. Documentation for six more crafts has been completed and is expected to be submitted soon to the GI Registry in Chennai for registration.
