Youth should keep alive India's rich textile heritage: Ashmore

The youth should understand the legacy of India's rich heritage in textiles and make efforts to preserve it, renowned design-historian Sonia Ashmore has said.

Ashmore, who specialises in the traditional craft of weaving, called upon students of textile science and fashion studies of a city institute, to keep alive the fabled craft of fine muslin, "which is gradually getting lost".

Reflecting on the craft of muslin making, the author of the seminal book 'Muslin' said on Wednesday, "one must appreciate the amount of human effort and skill required to manufacture a Jamdani saree. It takes two men, 30 weeks, to complete weaving a saree."
Lamenting that Indians have stopped wearing traditional dress, the design-historian said, "Also, lack of high-quality yarn and the danger of losing traditional skills and the role of intermediaries are killing this traditional craft of muslin making."