The District Industries Centre (DIC) has initiated steps to expose traders who exhibit and sell low-quality garment items under the label of handloom products and charge exorbitant rates from unsuspecting customers. The action comes in the wake of complaints from Khadi and handloom entrepreneurs who are reportedly facing a huge crisis with the alleged entry of illegal brands.
DIC officials said that illegal traders would be charged under the Handlooms (Reservation of Articles for Production) Act, 1985, if caught for unauthorised sales. Apart from legal action and hefty fines, the items put on display would be forfeited, they warned.
Complaints have been on the rise from customers who happened to buy low-quality products marketed in the name of handloom. Many traders have been ignoring such complainants claiming that they have reported the issues to the manufacturers concerned.
According to handloom workers, several fake brands and distributors across the State promote fake products in the name of handloom and secure huge profits. People who are unable to distinguish between original and duplicate products are suspected of making huge payments during bulk purchases, they said.
“During the seasonal sales fests, the original handloom sellers have been experiencing a huge crisis with the entry of cheap brands in the absence of any action from the authorities. This will have to end to protect Kerala’s unique handloom sector,” said K. Valsala, a handloom entrepreneur. She pointed out that many entrepreneurs in the sector were struggling to fight independently against the fraudsters.
Members of various primary societies affiliated to the Kerala State Handloom Weavers Co-operative Society Limited pointed out that there were many shops which were illegally displaying the ‘Handloom’ board for attracting buyers and selling their fake products. They demanded the removal of all such illegal boards from garment shops.
Meanwhile, DIC officials said that instructions have already been circulated among the traders to remove such boards and tags prepared in the name of handloom or Khadi. The checking squads would also inspect such misleading promotional practices in the wake of rising complaints, they added.
Published – March 10, 2025 08:31 pm IST