The fabric of liberty commands the interest of US clothing brand Patagonia Inc

A California-based clothing brand Patagonia Inc has ordered a hefty 30,000 meters consignment of Khadi denim fabric worth Rs 1.08 crore from a Khadi and Village Industries (KVIC)-certified mill in India to use in its ethical clothing line.

The large-scale order of Khadi denim suggests that it is the first time an international, independent assessor has certified an Indian Khadi institution for meeting ethical operating standards. It will certainly help handloom textile to make footing in international markets.

The California-based business sourced the handloom textiles, worth around Rs 1.08 crore ($162,000) from the state of Gujarat through the tie-up between KVIC and Arvind Mills. The order was carried out over a period of a year and completed in October, 2021.

Patagonia first visited the Khadi institution Udyog Bharti in Gondal, Rajkot to learn how Khadi denim is made. The business then asked U.S.-based ethical standards assessor Nest to acertain the process of manufacturig as Khadi is actually produced ethically and in a home or small workshop. After the Khadi manufacturing facilities passed the assessment, Patagonia placed the order.  

As per KVIC officials, it was back in Juky 2017, KVIC signed an agreement with Arvind with the aim of manufacturing Khadi which would retail internationally to boost international trade and Khadi exports. Following the agreement, Arvind Mills purchased KVIC-certified Khadi from manufacturing institutions in Gujarat.

Khadi has changed for good a great deal over the decades, since its days as the robust, undyed, handwoven fabric promoted by Gandhi. Most of the fabric that is traded now is mechanised khadi, woven with new model charkhas, where the yarn is made from mechanised and semi mechanised processes even if handwoven. Top menswear textile brands like Raymonds, Arvind Mills and Aditya Birla Textiles have also been working in collaboration with KVIC to launch khadi collections.