The Centre of Excellence for Khadi (CoEK) hub at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi, and its spokes in Gandhinagar, Shillong, Kolkata and Bengaluru have started.
The CoEK will work to introduce the latest designs and adopt processes of international standards to create new fabrics and clothing as per the needs of the domestic and global buyers.
It will also upskill the Khadi institutions to introduce new designs and techniques in the manufacturing process so as to diversify Khadi’s product line.
A memorandum of understanding for setting up of CoEK was signed between KVIC (Khadi and Village Industries Commission) and NIFT last year. The project will be implemented over a period of three years.
The centre, which was inaugurated by Union Minister Narayan Rane, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), also saw the presence of Union Minister of State for Textiles Darshana Jardosh and Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma, Union Minister of State for MSME.
He also launched the CoEK website where the latest design and technology interventions will be uploaded for its use by Khadi institutions.
The Minister insisted on the need to assess the popularity of Khadi as compared to other leading players in the Indian fashion industry.
He said “Our designers must introduce such appealing designs in Khadi so that people are as tempted to buy Khadi as they are to buy other clothing.
