Marketing Chanderi Saris

There are two modes of marketing Chanderi fabrics in India. Local traders and businessmen sell between eighty five and ninety per cent of the total fabric produced. Some of these businessmen provide yarn and designs to weavers, but the bulk of them just trade in the finished products.
Government agencies like M.P. Handloom Weavers' Co-operative Federation, M.P. Laghu Udyog Nigam, M.P. Handicraft Development Corporation & State Textile Corporation sell the remainder of fabric produced.
Unfortunately, weavers are unable to market their own products successfully in metros, or in trade fairs or exhibitions. As a result, their profit margins are eroded by the presence of traders, as is the unfortunate case with most Indian handicraft produced in remote areas.

Chanderi’s struggle for GI status

The production of Chanderi has been protected by India as a Geographic Indication (GI). This is a sign used on products with a specific geographical origin, which have certain qualities because of the place they have originated in. As a WTO member country, India passed the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and protection) Act in 1999, which enables the registration and better protection of GIs relating to products. India has petitioned the World Trade Organization for the recognition of Chanderi as a GI product at the international level as well.
The arguments in favour of Chanderi being declared a GI product are as follows --
More than 3600 weaver families live and work in Chanderi. Together, they engage in all aspects of the production of this fabric -- warping, colouring and weaving. Since the process is labour-intensive, each family produces only about two meters of fabric per day (which means a total of about 7200 meters of fabric in Chanderi). However, the demand, even locally, is much higher than this. It is met by the different varieties of spurious Chanderi produced cheaply on power looms, or by using cheaper synthetic yarns.
The pressures on Chanderi weavers are compounded by the fact that traders and businessmen eat away a large chunk of their profits. Weavers and master weavers do not have the financial resources to buy and store raw material or to do any r&d to improve their technical skills or designing abilities. Living in remote areas of Madhya Pradesh, they have an understandable lack of marketing abilities which makes their situation worse. As a result, many weaver families are eschewing their traditional occupation and opting for other types of work.
Weavers’ exploitation as well as the proliferation of spurious Chanderis in the market are jeopardizing the very future of Chanderi weaving.
In many ways, the problems that Chanderi faces are similar to problems most GI products face, especially in the developing world. It is, however, clear that there are few parallels the world over to the fabric of Chanderi. By labeling it and protecting it as a GI product, India and WTO might be able to assure its future

According to hindu newspaper in metropolitan city Classic Chanderi
The Chanderi Textile Mela at Mrignayanee gives Chennai-ites an opportunity to acquire yards of elegance

Weaving magic: Chanderis in pastel hues at the Mrignayanee mela -- Pic. by K. V. Srinivasan

EVEN THE erstwhile royals of Bhopal, Nagpur, Gwalior and Baroda were loyal patrons of Chanderi. The craft, appreciated for its delicate designs that seem to float on sheer material, continues to be enjoyed by textile connoisseurs: both in the north and the west of India. Now, Chennai gets to join the charmed circle, thanks to the `Chanderi Textile Mela', organised by Mrignayanee, the Madhya Pradesh Government Emporium.
The textile comes from a small town called Chanderi, which is close to Gwalior. And its classic status is due to the efforts of generations of the Gwalior royalty, starting from Jiwaji Rao Scindia

Objective of Chanderi products:-

1.To purchase/acquire the land and /or the building in the name of the society for the upliftment and in furtherance of the Aims and Objects of the society.

2.To approach and conduct the competent court/courts to safeguard the right of the general public and for the public interests from time to time as the society may deem fit and proper under various laws as applicable in India and especially intellectual Property Right.

3.To support and /or oppose and take necessary all and every action including legal recourse to represent, defend and support/oppose any such move, legislation, taxation or other concerned measure, imposition or enactment for the protection

4.To promote cooperative amongst local artisans for production and sale of handicraft/cottage level produce to get better returns to them.

5. To make best efforts for protection, promotion, stimulate, encourage and for the advancement of the home-less people, old aged, handicapped, orphans, windows, destitute and mentally retarded persons by providing them shelters/homes on ‘No Profit-No-Loss’ bases and also establishing Old Age homes.

6.To arrange various kinds of Charity Shows £cultural shows for the collection of money to be utilized for the upliftment of the Aims and Objects of the society a: for raising funds.

7.To proved and pursue for financial assistance or arrange for the same form any financial institutions for widows, unemployed youth and handicapped persons.

8.To accept voluntary donations, grants, presents, gifts, and other offerings in the shape of movable and /or in the shape of immovable properties for the attainment of the aims and the objectives of the society.

9.To create awareness amongst the local peoples about the potential of tourism in the area its intimate linkages with conservation of natural resources and historical heritage.

10.To set up branches of the society for the said purposed at such places as may be decided by the Governing Body of the society from time to time.

11.To assist or take assistance from and collaborate with other institutions with similar activities in India or elsewhere.

12.To engage persons and hire services of anyone on permanent basis or on contractual basis for furtherance of the objects and purpose of the society.

13.To publish and distribute educational material on different aspects of education, medical help and other related aspect of human life for the advancement and upliftment of the residents of CHANDERI and to enhance their correct information and knowledge.

14.To construct, maintain or alter any buildings or works necessary or convenient for the purposes of the CDF.

15To do all such other lawful things directly or indirectly, as the case may be and as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of any of the above stated objects of the CDF.