Technical upgrade for handloom industry | Sunday Observer

Technical upgrade for handloom industry

27 January, 2019

After many decades of stagnation, Sri Lanka’s textile and handloom sector will receive a major upgrade this year when a global technology platform used for complex patterns, is presented to domestic craftsmen and designers.

“I have been told that modern technology can increase productivity of our handlooms,” Minister of Industry and Commerce Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons and Cooperative Development Rishad Bathiudeen told a progress review meeting at his Ministry recently.

Ministry Secretary K.D.N. Ranjith Ashoka and Additional Secretary M. Thajudeen were also present.

Jacquard machines are used by handloom designers to speed up manual production looms’ speed. Jacquard machines give the strength of powerlooms to handloom machines by speeding up complex handloom designs using a punch card system.

“Sri Lankan handloom designers already use punch-card driven Jacquard machine handlooms for their production. However, these machines are not sufficient to meet the speed of today’s handloom market requirements. The Textiles and Handlooms Development Division of the Ministry, therefore, will replace these punch card machines with digital, computerised Jacquards.

“I have been told that this modern technology can increase the productivity of looms and appeal of the designs,” the Minister said.

The Ministry plans to install the first digital Jacquard system at the Sri Lanka Institute of Textile Technology, Ratmalana, at an estimated cost of US $ 20,000.

The system will be used to demonstrate and train national level handloom producers and private sector suppliers who would be encouraged to import them on their own and competitively sell to local handloom producers.

The Textile Department plans to import eight more digital Jacquards to be given to each Province to train the provincial producers and encourage provincial machinery importers.

Sri Lanka’s handloom sector is one of the low cost but high earning industries.

The production is labour intensive and the industry consumes little electricity and utilities, but generates high employment. (estimated at over 12,000). Wayamba, Western, and Central are the main provinces for handloom production. 

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