Uttarakhand's Traditional Wool Industry Faces Extinction: From Global Fame to Decline
Bageshwar
N
News18•01-02-2026, 19:20
Uttarakhand's Traditional Wool Industry Faces Extinction: From Global Fame to Decline
- •Uttarakhand's Bageshwar and Pithoragarh districts, once globally renowned for pure woolen clothing, now see their traditional industry struggling.
- •Trader Kishan Singh Nirkhupa, attending Bageshwar's Uttarayani Fair for 50 years, notes a drastic drop in sales; goods that sold out in 5 days now remain half unsold.
- •The influx of cheap synthetic and acrylic wool, which is visually appealing but lacks durability, has diverted customers from expensive, hand-knitted pure wool products.
- •Younger generations prefer light, trendy fashion over traditional heavy woolen clothes, further impacting demand for pure wool.
- •Artisans claim government schemes for handlooms are ineffective on the ground, urging government intervention to provide a better market and purchase pure woolen products to revive the industry and preserve cultural heritage.
Why It Matters: Uttarakhand's traditional wool industry is dying due to cheap alternatives and lack of market support.
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