The Coronavirus pandemic came harshly on local weavers. So, a while back, Kritika Kamra started a virtual initiative with her mother to support weavers of Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh. “In this past year, there has been a major dip in demand for already dying art forms like handwoven weaves. The raw material chains, production, supply to vendors and brands, exhibitions… everything came to a halt,” she says.

Recently, she, along with her parents, visited Chanderi, which is 30 kms away from her home town: “We discovered that the community of weavers was cash stripped and struggling to survive, pay rents and maintain their handlooms. So, we decided to help them find a way to get sustainable income through the internet, which has been the only way for business lately.”

Kamra believes that the project can help them “find business and earn a dignified income”. Sharing details, she says, “My mother and I made an Instagram page where we upload pictures from our collection that we handpick from the weavers directly. People can message us to shop.”

The Tandav actor reveals that she has now shifted to sustainable and handwoven clothing. “I think Chanderi hasn’t got it’s due and more people need to be introduced to the sheer elegance of this weave. I’m a fan and you’ll now see me wear a lot more of them,” she says.

Kamra urges all to invest in handmade goods and buy from small businesses. “Handmade items are exquisite, have a great story behind them, are made with a lot of love and hard work and can never go out of style. Moreover, when you support artists and home-grown businesses, you help someone pay rent, school fee or hospital bill,” she signs off.