Aadyam’s Design Guide Book

Aadyam Handwoven and I go back a long way. I was first introduced to this socially responsible brand in 2018 when I ran an interactive creative workshop for them and fellow craft & design connoisseurs. Since then, I have watched the brand with admiration and pride, as they have grown and expanded their portfolio of beautiful handwoven products from select craft clusters in India.

Working directly with weaver communities, Aadyam Handwoven’s creative team is focused on reviving and encouraging traditional weaving techniques and skills. They work with skilled handloom artisans in Varanasi, Pochampally and Bhuj, with a passion to preserve our rich textile heritage, as well as to create a self-sustaining ecosystem for the weavers by introducing them to contemporary designs and product interpretations. Aadyam Handwoven’s current repertoire of stunning handwoven products range from home furnishing like rugs, cushions, table runners to wearable art in the form of stoles and saris.

The latest labour of love from Aadyam Handwoven is their collaborative effort with India Craft Week, where they have researched to seek and define inspiration and the resulting trends, from certain key parameters that encompass not just progressive design philosophy, but also critical components like sustainability, conscious consumption and green living. The result of this thoughtful effort is a design guide book, known as Trendloom 2021, which is already being widely appreciated and leveraged by industry professionals and proponents of sustainable design and conscious living. I love how Trendlom 2021 helps not just professionals, but also any person with an orientation towards design thinking, through out the creative cycle, from conception to creation.

TrendLoom 2021 follows a very engaging and interesting flow of ideas. Beginning with drawing inspiration with what is around us [like sand, matter], to what is within us [like soul, roots] and also from wholesome ideology [like symbiotic, cultivate], the TrendLoom 2021 goes on to ideate and define the colors, the yarns, the texture, the weave and the pattern, per inspiration. Bringing each trend to a logical and practical implementation are the recommended handlooms from Aadyam Handwoven’s craft clusters. Experiencing the seamless flow of a thought in the TrendLoom 2021, from a seemingly amorphous inspiration to an actual textile or product that we can bring into our homes, is a delightful experience.

In the words of Manish Saksena, the Lead Advisor at Aadyam Handwoven:
In the first edition of TRENDLOOM 2021, Aadyam Handwoven and India Craft Week have attempted to highlight the overarching trending themes that organically create a cluster/craft connect. The endeavour is to continue this journey and get handwoven fabrics their much needed relevance across the globe.

It is so heartening to see Aadyam Handwoven’s dedicated focus on preserving and encouraging heritage crafts and skills, like handloom, by creating and establishing sustainable trends originating from curated craft clusters.

Aadyam Handwoven’s TrendLoom 2021 is available for everyone to view and take inspiration from. It is especially useful for design professionals as they conceptualize the integration of inspiration, matter and material for their projects. Apart from this trendbook, Aadyam Handwoven’s beautiful collaborative product range with the various weaver communities is available online, as well as in select locations in India. They do also ship worldwide, and are happy to work with individuals and professionals for bespoke design and production.

I am looking forward to bring more of Aadyam Handwoven’s creative endeavours in the coming future! More power to brands that are socially responsible and committed to preserving our heritage and artisan livelihood, in a sustainable and thoughtful manner.

[Visual board and Content: An Indian Summer. All Images: Aadyam Handwoven]